Run
by bluetinkerbell
Summary: [On Hiatus] [AU] They were best friends when they were children but then something happened. They were torn apart, only to see each other so many years later, in the midst of an assassination attempt, love triangle and murder mystery. SF
1. Memories

Discalimer: Not mine

The twenty second century came with no surprise at the innovative and revolutionary planetary system. Many new laws and decrees had been put into place, affecting the overall routine put about in the previous thirty decades.

The whole solar system was under the control of the Interplanetary Council which had representatives from every moon and planet in the solar system, there to voice their opinions. Movements towards this new system had been set into action centuries ago on the now distant and dusty planet of Earth, where a representative assembly known as the League of Nations had been tentatively set up after the First World War.

The new members of the Interplanetary Council took heart at the fact that though their ancestors had not kept the international assembly alive, the new _interplanetary_ system would work wonders. These idealists were the ones that set the new era into place, letting the decrees and laws change the educational, political, medical, military and criminal systems forever.

However the medical and criminal systems is where this particular story focuses. The two were essentially allies now, helping each other out, individually. Now the medical field trained people to be nurses and doctors. Both were respected in their own right yet it seemed that nurses held more clout than did doctors. Nurses were still identified by their stereotype of matronly women with a calming touch created before the Au Courant movement on Earth.

Yet it seemed that this view of nurses gave them more of an opportunity to explore the world around them. Training regiments were virtually the same for both doctors and nurses so it only made sense that the lower-paid nurses would investigate other places for their skills to be used.

The nurses usually chose to work for the syndicates. Those that did choose to take on jobs from the syndicate were titled as 'Syndicate Nurses.' They worked in a hospital, yes, but they also chose to receive calls from syndicates in need of medical attention. All of this healing on the nurses' part was paid by money by the syndicate.

It was just another way to earn cash. Precious cash.

Faye Valentine was one of those Syndicate Nurses. Trained since the age of twelve to be a nurse, she was one now on the populous planet of Mars.

Training for a career from a young age was the norm, like driving cars or eating, in the educational system. The educational system had been changed by the EM, or Education for the Masses. Children now chose what classes they wanted to attend and what field they would go into. They would spend the first seven years of their education learning the basics. After reaching the age of twelve, they would pursue an education in their career, hopefully finishing by the age of twenty-one.

Faye had done just that. Spurred onwards by a history of death in her life, she wanted to make a difference in the lives of other people less fortunate than herself. Whether she was healing someone in the syndicate or an innocent child, she was saving the life of a human. Humans who did this all to themselves by killing.

Humans.

Just a bunch of killing machines, aren't they?

* * *

Faye made her way down the hall of the hospital at which she worked, the Downtown Tharsis Medicinal Clinic. It was a large hospital, filled with probably what was the most competent staff in the whole solar system. The charts in her hand had her muttering medical jargon as she flipped through the mass of pages. Without looking, Faye turned into a room that held around ten patients. Briskly, she made her way down to the end of the first row of five, stopping there to check the revolutionary equipment set up.

"You're doing very well today, Mr. Linkes." Faye pronounced, looking at the frail man that lay on the bed.

"I'm glad, Nurse Valentine. But it wouldn't be without you." He croaked out in his venerable and rustic voice. Faye smiled and finished checking the devices before moving on to check his pulse, the twentieth century way.

Faye continued the conversation, letting the old man become at ease with her. With a small warning, Faye inserted a needle filled with a yellow fluid into his arm. The man took it calmly and thanked her once she was done. Faye smiled, said her goodbyes and was off.

The day continued on like that, with Faye checking on various patients of hers. An old lady named Lorraine Snyder had recently been admitted after having experienced a mild stroke. Though Lorraine had been found to have had no complications from the stroke, depression was setting in. That was the worse fear of a doctor or nurse. The healing process would be slow with her and they'd all be lucky if no other complications arised.

Another patient of Faye's was Reeve Giangelli. His condition was a strange one which perplexed both Faye and Dr. Fields, the "main man", so to speak. Giangelli had been admitted around a month ago, after eating in a restaurant on Venus.

The strange thing about Giangelli is that there was nothing wrong with him except for the _fact_ that he was dying. At first Dr. Fields thought that Giangelli was a victim of food poisoning but that wasn't true. A whole array of tests had been done; they'd even sent a purging liquid through his body yet nothing had come up! It seemed like depression in the end but that would produce a low level of endorphins, serotonin and all that other good stuff. His levels were normal.

Whenever it came to paperwork with Mr. Reeve Giangelli, Faye felt like puking. She was the nurse so she was the one that had to file all the paperwork. Faye sat down at her desk and pulled her chair inward. Giangelli's case gave her headaches. She would have to fill out the regular once-a-day paperwork for each patient and extra paperwork for Giangelli because they didn't know what was wrong with him. It was all politics. We had to know exactly why a person died and a file of reports would be released to the public once a person died.

Dreadful stuff, really. There was no privacy left in the world.

* * *

Faye was dead tired by the end of the day, and her frustration was beginning to kick in. As usual, Faye made it home late and shut the door to her apartment with a loud slam. She was not in the mood. Faye quickly threw off her shoes and sweaters, tying back her hair. It was cold outside. It was Mars, where it was swelteringly hot during the day and freezing cold during the night.

The stove was soon on and some quick instant meals were made. "Spag-a-box" was the new food of the century. Food in a box…literally. It was okay. Not great. But for Faye, the quickest food was the best food. All you had to do was add water and you had a steaming hot meal in five seconds.

The food was soon gone. Faye had been hungry. As she washed the dishes, she glanced at her holographic videophone. There were a few messages there for her.

"Run." She commanded. The videophone obliged.

One was from Jet, her best friend in the police system. He adopted her when she was eight. The next one was from Ed, one of her old patients. They had stayed good friends. Strange girl, that one. She'd been in a massive crash, or so they supposed, and had contracted amnesia. When given the chance to rename herself, she did. She named herself Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV. Faye had never liked her but the little brown girl with orange hair and cat-like eyes soon grew on her.

The last three calls were from syndicates. There was the Jade Rose, Yellow Monkey and Red Dragon Syndicates. She'd worked for all of them before. They were careless, shooting, killing and maiming.

Each one was asking for her to come and work for them. That meant she'd have to take a day off on Saturday. She only worked for Syndicates then. Faye called back the Syndicates, letting them know when she'd come.

Jade Rose wanted her early in the morning. They'd just had a run-in with the ISSP that didn't go to well. A few of their top leaders and personnel were taken in, causing a shortage of doctors. Jade Rose was one of the best-organized syndicates around. Their wars were tactically precise and their system one that worked.

Yellow Monkey had a mild scuffle between the Mars drug warlords. Not much but two or three of their people were injured.

Red Dragon was more secretive. Faye didn't get the message given to her by the man who answered the phone. "Three isn't a good number." That's what he told her when she asked what had happened. He sighed and then whispered the stupid phrase. All Faye could do is shake her head and hang up. Red Dragon would be last.

After calling up the hospital and informing them that she would take the day off on Saturday, Faye got ready for bed and made her way over to her mattress. She wanted rest, needed rest. Faye shut her eyes. After a few moments, she opened them back up. No luck. She couldn't go to sleep.

"Typical." She muttered. Fay turned over in her bed, her eyes falling on a picture frame that was turned away. Immediately, a mental depiction of that picture formed in her mind.

Her childhood was a touchy issue. A good part of it had been wonderful, thanks to a good friend. The last part of it had been…memorable, in the wrong sorts. But that good friend…

Faye sat up and picked up the frame. She took a deep breath and turned the frame over. There stood two figures, smiling at her. There was a little girl, with short purple hair and a childish smile. Next to the little girl was a little boy. He wore a cocky grin with a tuft of green hair on his head. Faye remembered him often. More often then she would have liked. But she couldn't help it. They'd grown up together and he'd been her first friend that was a boy. So, in effect, her first boyfriend.

* * *

"_C'mon! Don't be scared!" The little boy, aged ten, waved to a little girl, aged eight. The girl looked at the boy skeptically. He wanted her to jump across the little broken bridge!_

"_The bridge is broken!" She yelled. The boy looked at her strangely. "So? It goes over a little stream! If you fall, you won't die! Plus, I'll catch you."_

_The girl nodded, slowly. She was still unsure. She closed her eyes, ran and jumped. She made it across._

"_Good job!" The boy congratulated. The girl, being held by the boy, cracked open her eyes. "Is it safe?"_

"_Is it safe?" The boy repeated incredulously. "Is it safe? Of course it's safe! You're with me! Why not trust me now? You've always trusted me!"_

_The girl looked at him, shock written all over her face. "Except when you wanted me to smack George and stick a pencil up his nose. Except when Leila was walking past and you made me lift up her skirt so then I had detention. Except when you made me throw the rock at Mr. Frances. Except when you tripped me when I was coming down the stairs three days ago and so I have a bruise now. Except when you made me steal the five credits my mother had on her dresser. I got grounded for that! And then when you made-"_

"_Okay! I get the point…" The boy rolled his eyes at the girl as they both marched off towards the center of the field they had just walked into. There was a tree there, which they both began to race for. The girl reached there first, panting as she stopped. _

"_Not fair! You-You cheat-cheated…"The boy admonished._

"_L-liar…" The boy grinned at the girl. She smiled back. They both sat down, and in a comfortable silence, began to munch on whatever snacks they pulled out of their pockets. The hours passed, with games, snacks and…well…games._

_It was around noon and the two were getting ready to start a new game when the boy froze, staring off, past the tree, past the broken bridge, to where their homes lay. There was smoke. The girl tapped him, hesitantly at first. But when he continued to ignore her and shrug her off, she continued to prod with more and more enthusiasm. Finally he began to move, but not towards her._

_He began off slowly, but then began to pick up speed, soon running at a breakneck speed. He slowed to a stop once he reached the other side of the bridge. He had noticed that his friend was not with him. He looked back to see her standing where he had left her. He contemplated for a moment, what to do. With one glance to the town, the boy took off running for the girl. _

_When he reached her, he wasted no time. He grabbed her hand and began to run back to the town, the girl trailing behind him, gripping his hand hard. They both fell into the stream, making their way across and making their way up the banks. Once they were on land, they took off again, still hand in hand._

_The girl didn't know what was going on. She was entrenched in this mad dash for the town because of him. She was just following his lead. They tripped past the bakers shop, tumbled past the tailors shop and slid past the convenience store. _

_They turned into their housing section, where the girl stopped behind the stricken boy…and screamed. _

_She tried to tear past the boy but he grabbed her around the midsection and held her, even as she kicked, clawed and screamed. He was stunned. She was afraid._

_Their homes were on fire. Echoing surreally from inside were the screams of agony from their families. They were dying, being burnt alive. Through one of the windows, you could see the faint outlines of burning carcasses, throwing themselves against the windows, in hopes of breaking them and being free._

_Flesh curled away from the bone, hair crumbled to ash, marrow became a fuel. The eyes…they stared, burning a memory into the minds of the young and impressionable. Both the children stood there, tears streaming down their faces. What could they do? They were children…_

_A hand clasped the boy's shoulder. He looked to see the owner. The girl recognized the man vaguely as she looked back at him blankly. As of right now, she didn't know what to think. She understood death, yes understood it as much as possible for an eight year old child. Yet here she was, faced with it for the first time._

_A few muffled words, maybe more were said to her friend. The girl didn't comprehend what was going on. All of it was drowned out; the only object of her senses was the rapidly increasing pile of ash and bone in front of her. Her family and house in a handful._

_The boy sat down next to the girl and they wept silently together. The boy soon pulled away from the girl. He was leaving._

"_Where?" She asked. It was natural for her not to feel any sadness then. She was drowned by the other grief. Her only friend leaving was nothing._

"_I don't know." He muttered. "I'm going with these people. They promised me a better life. They say someone will come to get you. Someone will take care of you. B-but I'll b-be bac-ck to look after y-you. So no worries."_

_The girl didn't say anything. She was in shock. She knew nothing. She turned away and sat down. Nothing. Her family was gone. Now her happiness was leaving too. _

_Hours later, a man tapped her shoulder. She was still sitting in the same spot where her friend had left her. "Hey." The man whispered. "What happened?" She shrugged. Another man walked over to the young man who had tried to occupy her attention._

"_Fire, obviously. A lot of people, in two houses. We don't know the cause yet but rumor is that a cell of a syndicate might have done it."_

_The young man chuckled wryly as he surveyed the horror in front of him. A skeletal hand cound be seen sticking out of a window. "Humans. Just a bunch of killing machines, aren't they?"_

* * *

Faye awoke on Saturday. The last few days had been hectic and this day wouldn't be any better. She had to visit the syndicates. Lethargically, she moved out of bed and made her way over to her bathroom to the shower.

She was soon out, hair dry and body clothed. Scurrying around her room, Faye grabbed her medicinal bag, filled with all sorts of medical tools to help her heal those in need of healing. Grabbing one of the local trains, Faye made her way down to Ajax, a town southeast of Tharsis. There, she ran to the headquarters of the Jade Rose. They were housed in a rundown apartment complex. Not bad but not original.

The majority of Faye's morning was spent looking after those at the Jade Rose. Thankfully, no children had been harmed but the men injured were in need of help. One man needed to have his arm amputated. Faye had to do it. The arm had been too badly infected with a bacterial growth for her to just administer drugs. It looked like the beginning of gangrene to Faye, but she couldn't be sure, especially with the crude items available to her there.

Once that whole ordeal of fifteen men had been dealt with, Faye made her way over to Hector, where the Yellow Monkey resided. This one was simple. She forced a few pills down the throats of the men and performed stitching on three people. Not bad at all. As she exited the building, Faye took out a cigarette. Sure, she was a nurse…but she was human before that.

The old electric trains were taken back to Tharsis. Faye knew that she should have gone to Red Dragon first because it was so close, but they only had one injured person. Jade Rose and Yellow Monkey were much worse off.

Faye jumped off on the third stop and headed off for a small shop on the eastern part of town. Once she got there, she entered and found the shop empty. There was no one there. This was the entrance to the Red Dragon Syndicate. She knew it. Faye decided to sit down in a chair and just listen to whatever news was being broadcasted on the ancient radio set up.

"In other news, a new strain of the Venus Spore, the Platinum Venus Spore, has been found to be very dangerous when consumed, even in small amounts. Once it gels to a part of the body, the spores turn into fat. They are highly prized by syndicates and warlords…"

Faye tuned the radio out. Syndicates and warlords were disgusting, even if she did help them. At that moment, the other door at the back of the shop opened and out came an older, kinder seeming lady. She held a bottle of whiskey.

"Hi. How can I help you?"

"I'm the Syndicate Nurse, Faye Valentine."

"Ah. I'm Annie. Right this way." Faye was led out the back door, into a way of thought that would force itself into her mind.

* * *

**Edit/July 10, 2005**: I redid this whole chapter, just because it was so sparse and unfeeling at the beginning. Maybe I'll work my way through the next few ones because I definitely don't like my portrayal of Faye in the next chapter. 


	2. Meeting

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Run

Faye followed Annie down the hallway, turning left as she neared the first corridor. However, Annie kept on walking. Faye was confused. Wasn't this the entrance?

"Isn't this the way to the entrance?" Annie turned to look at her and snorted.

"You're not very bright are you?" Faye was taken aback. And she thought this lady was nice! "I'm brighter than a light bulb!" Ouch. Faye winced mentally. That was a weak comeback. Annie just laughed.

"We wouldn't keep our headquarters in a place like Tharsis. Too commercial and obvious. No, we'd go with a more…unlikely place. A holy place." Faye stared at her back. She was odd. This old lady was odd.

Faye followed her down the hallway and out an aged and rusted door. Outside, waiting for them, was a black car. Annie opened the door and got in. She held the door open for Faye, who was standing back.

Faye was hesitant. Could she trust these people? Sure, they weren't to be trusted. They were the syndicate so naturally you couldn't trust them. Faye had always stayed and healed in this building. She'd never left this edifice to go to another place. Never.

"Nurse?" Annie questioned. Should she trust? Should she heal?

"Nurse, by the Syndicate Nurse Guidelines, we can't hurt you." Faye snapped to attention with that comment. Of course. The guidelines. They couldn't hurt her. With her mind made-up, Faye stepped forward and sat down inside the black car. There was no turning back now.

The car started and drove off. Faye sat back, not knowing how long the ride would be. Her eyes scanned the buildings and scenery outside of car. It all whizzed by, leaving Faye to wonder what she had just seen. The poverty was everywhere. 

Ragged clothes hung from clotheslines and children played with mud and poison. Cars were old and crusty and the sky gray and cold. These weren't good times. Sickness hung in the air and death was painted onto the walls.

Hours passed as the car drove through the red landscape known as Mars. A few towns, here and there, were passed, one such one being Ajax, which she had visited earlier. Faye concluded that it was smart for her not to go to Red Dragon first. She wouldn't have been able to make it to the other syndicates.

Finally, the car pulled off the road into a small city, respectable in it's own right. Achilles was a strong city, able to be clean and dirty at the same time. It housed some of the most respectable businessmen and some of the most disgusting warlords.

The car went through a series of streets, roads and alleyways. It jolted to a stop and men clothed in black immediately opened the doors. Unoriginality ruled the world. Faye stepped out and looked around. She was in front of a church. Next to the church sat a large modern skyscraper.

Faye moved towards the church but was stopped by an arm. "Not there. Not yet."

"Cryptic, aren't we?" She muttered. Faye followed Annie into the large building next door. A plaque near the entrance told her that this was the headquarters of Taloco, a well-respected business. Assuming this was also the headquarters of Red Dragon, Faye figured that the Red Dragon Syndicate had bought out Taloco is a private business deal that was made so many times these days.

"We're going to go meet the boss. Whatever he says, you do…Got it, Nurse?" Annie ordered.

"I thought I was the one in control?" Faye questioned.

"An understandable question, Nurse. But you're not in Kansas anymore."

"Kansas?"

"You've never seen _The Wizard of Oz_?"

Faye remained silent.

"Kids nowadays. They don't appreciate good movies."

"No. We do appreciate good movies. You're just old enough to appreciate the ancient ones." Faye shot Annie a cocky grin. Annie couldn't argue over her point. Instead, she just shot a glance to the guard behind Faye who pushed her forward.

"Hey! Watch it! I'm precious cargo, you hunk of junk!" Faye retorted. Eyebrows were raised as the crew entered the elevators. Faye looked around. Red fabric lay behind the golden cage they were in. The elevator continued upwards for a long while, leaving Faye to examine the content of her bag, checking to make sure she had all the necessary supplies.

A whole ton of gauze, stitching materials, antibiotics, poison tests, poison delayers and medicine. Pills upon pills upon pills littered the sides of her bag. You never knew what you might have to prescribe. So Faye came prepared.

The elevator soon slid to a smooth stop and the doors hissed open, revealing two security guards on either side of the doorway. They stepped in front of them, obstructing their view. Annie held out a card and the guards both nodded, standing off to the side.

As Faye passed them, she couldn't help but sneak a look at their waist area. However, her face soon went pale. Guns. The horrid evil death bringers. Faye looked away, disgusted.

The troop continued on, towards the large doors that stood in front of them. Faye looked around at her surroundings.

There was red fabric everywhere. On the red fabric was usually encrusted a dragon. Obviously, how the Red Dragon Syndicate got its name. Above the doors, lay a regal dragon, larger than Faye could have ever imagined. That captured her attention and retained it. Something was different about it. All the other dragons were almost laughing, jeering at those who passed by. This one was solemn, heartbroken almost.

The guards halted and Faye ran into their backs, emitting a small sound of hurt. With a flourish and bow, the doors were thrown open to reveal…a chair.

"How disappointing…" Faye whispered. She'd been expecting some large throne room with gaudy furniture and antiques decorating every corner and crevice of the room. Not so.

Instead, there was a chair. One solitary chair sat near the end of the room. Behind it laid a shrouded window. Off to the side lay a closed in cage…a glass cage. Faye shivered unconsciously and wrapped her arms around herself. 

"Cold, isn't it?" A voice pierced through the tangible darkness, frightening Faye. The others stood still. Even Annie was standing erect, eyes not blinking.

"Dead cold." Faye replied after a few moments silence.

"You don't know how right you are. Annie, once I'm done, take her to the church."

"Yes Vicious." Faye scoffed at that.

"Your name is Vicious?"

"Yes. You know why you are here, correct, Ms. Valentine?" Faye nodded. After his lack of response to her last remark, Faye had been quieted. She was almost afraid of the cool and dark aura he gave off.

"I would like you to heal the man in the church. But only the external wounds. Nothing else. Absolutely nothing. Understand?" Faye found her voice.

"I can't do that. My job is to heal all of what I find. So that's what I'll do." The man turned to look at her. Faye felt her blood go cold-literally. His eyes were dead, piercing through the blackness that enveloped them.

The man's hair was silver…like a ghost. His skin was pale and ashen as if he had just come up from his grave. But what continued to bother Faye most, besides his eyes, was his sword. 

The Japanese sword glinted maniacally in the gloom, as if the blood it lusted for was Faye's. As if it's thirst had not been slaked by the millions who had been felled by its blade before. Faye shivered once more and looked away.

"What did you say, Ms. Valentine?" Her name rolled off his tongue. She felt as if he had defiled her, just by looking at her and speaking her name.

Faye shook her head. Nothing. She had uttered nothing. She would listen to him, fear him and ignore him. He was not alive. He was dead.

He was the Living Death.

.~.

Faye was led out of the room and down the elevator. Frozen. That's what she was. That man (_dead)_… what had become of her because of that Vicious? Her fingers were cold, her eyes wide and empty. She didn't feel. 

A hand placed itself on Faye's shoulder. Turning quickly, Faye found Annie gazing at her with motherly eyes. 

"Don't be afraid of him. He only hurts those who…cross him." A smile touched upon Faye's lips. 

"Thank you." She whispered. That small show of kindness helped Faye along although she still felt troubled during their walk next door to the dilapidated church.

Eyes roamed the shattered glass, used bullets and bloodstains that littered the floor. No one had been allowed inside since the fight. The only people allowed were Annie, Vicious and a few important others. But no one else. No one else.

Not a single living soul.

Annie stopped the guards outside of the church doors.

"Wait here." She ordered. The men turned and watched the street. Anyone of no importance who tried to get in would be shot and killed. 

Annie pushed open the doors. They groaned with pain, the pain that many had felt. The sunshine that shone behind Annie and Faye soon fell across the pews and pillars of the church.

Majestic in its own right, the little church had gone through its fair share of battles. Arches decorated both sides of the church, wooden pews lined down the center. However, there was nothing to pray to. Faye looked around but saw nothing. 

"So much for being a holy place." She said. Annie looked back with a small smile. 

"Come on. We have to go into one of the back rooms." Faye stepped over some broken bottles and rotten food. "You guys are keeping an injured man in a place like this? It's so unsanitary!"

Annie sighed, kicking a pile of trash off to one side. It's acrid odor wafted up to Faye's nose. She crinkled it. "Vicious wouldn't have it any other way." 

"Does he want him to die?" Silence enveloped them.

"Yes." Faye stared blankly at Annie. What? Vicious wanted him to die?

"Wait…Vicious wants him to die?"

Annie nodded.

"Why? I mean, why am I here then?"

"To make his death all the more painful." Annie wiped a solitary tear away. Faye was horrified. Could mankind really be that cruel? No wait. Vicious isn't human.

The pair reached the door to the back room. Annie pushed the door in and walked inside only to freeze. Blocking Faye's view of the inside, Annie proceeded with her conversation.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hello Annie."

"Julia! What are you doing here? Vicious will kill you too!"

"He would never." A short silence ensued, broken by the rhythmic sound of boots hitting the stone floor. Annie moved out of the way. An angel stopped and looked at Faye.

"Are you the Nurse?" Faye nodded dumbly.

"Take good care of him. He's living a dream."

"A bad one." Annie finished. The two looked so forlorn and miserable. Faye felt their emotions transferring onto her. Not good. She took a deep breath and smiled.

"I'll do my best. But there won't be any promises. I'll do what Vicious told me to."

The angel, Julia, watched Faye with clouded cerulean eyes. It was almost as if she wanted to decipher whether Faye was telling the truth or lying. With a despondent chuckle, Julia shook her head and looked heavenward. 

"Vicious. I love him…?" Now Faye watched the angel. No, not an angel. 

A Fallen Angel.

Her last statement struck Faye as a question, almost as if she wasn't aware of her own feelings and thoughts. She was lost in her mind, the one place that no one can capture. The Fallen Angel moved on, smiling softly to herself. Her golden hair lifted in the unknown breeze, making her a ghost…a Living Death…like Vicious.

"Julia?" Annie called after her. Julia half-turned and looked at Annie.

"Yes?"

"Three isn't a good number."

"I know Annie. I know."

At once, Faye shook her head violently. She was getting way too deep for her own good. No need to analyze the people around the patient. Just the patient itself.

With that, Faye turned to the room and marched in. The condition of the room was better than that of the church as a whole. Trash littered the floor, but it had been kicked off to one side, so it was nowhere near the body. Tattered curtains hid a small window that lay over the bed. On the bed lay the patient, dressed in bloodstained clothes. Faye figured that Vicious didn't want him to change. He wanted this man to suffer from whatever bacteria would grow and crawl inside his bloody wound, causing a milky white substance to ooze out when it became infected.

Just lovely.

Faye rolled up her sleeves and made her way over to the patient. She set the bag down, and got ready to turn his face towards her. After all, head injuries had to be looked after first.

Faye turned his head towards her and stared.

And stared.

And stared.

Her fingers lightly danced over his scarred face. His scarred and recognizable face.

Spike.

.~.

Now. If you guys didn't expect that man to be Spike, I don't know what to say to you. Really, I don't. Nah. Just joking! I love you all!

This chapter was weak. Real weak. I've been working on it for about a week but…it's so…unfeeling. Hopefully it'll get better. We'll see.

Thanks for the reviews!

**angelic-m-** Aw! My first reviewer! Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy!

**birdychick-** Thank you so much! I thought that Spike and Faye needed a sad beginning, first to wedge them apart but then to bring them together.

**Light-of-Halo-**Thank you! The first chapter was there just to set up the scene. For me, fanfiction is just a way to perfect my fiction writing. It's also a hobby that sometimes is too much fun ^.^

**Shaded Emerald-Eyes**-Thank you so much! Sorry for the long wait. It's just that this chapter never really came out good. Even now it kind of sucks.

**faye-faye14-**Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked the storyline. I was kind of iffy on it because I didn't think anything like it had ever been done before.

**lemonsweetie**-Thanks! Hope you enjoy!

**FuzzieEars67**-Aw! I wasn't supposed to make you cry! Sorry! Hope you liked this weak chapter! And I'm sure your fic is great! In fact, I'll check it out right now!…if my stupid computer would work…


	3. The Waiting Game

Disclaimer: Not mine

Run

Faye just watched him, his face contracting into frowns every now and then. Gently, her fingers descended onto his wound on his cheek. It was a strange yellow color, something not normal.

"Is he okay?" Annie asked quietly. Faye turned to her, startled. She was still there. "N-no. His wounds are a strange color. It's not normal. I'll be running tests on it." Annie nodded. She walked over to an old mahogany chair and sank into it, slowly. Annie sighed in resignation and sleepily rubbed her eyes. Sleep soon overtook her.

Faye took out a pair of tweezers and pulled a bit of the yellow substance that coated the wounds and placed it in a dish. There she sat and stared at it. Formulating a plan of 'attack' against this substance was hard. First of all, she didn't know what it was. Second of all, because she didn't know what it was, she didn't know how to treat it.

Reaching inside the bag, Faye pulled out a bottle of ferrous sulfate. It was really just iron. The medicine she was going to practice on him was obsolete. The twentieth century had brought many advances in medicine, one of them being the treatment of blood-related diseases. Iron helped in the formation of red blood cells.

Faye set the bottle down with a quiet tap onto the brown, bloodstained floor. Shadows now flitted across the floorboards; tattered curtains swayed in the slight wind. Ginger light splayed across Spike's face, highlighting his strong features and horrendous wounds. Off of the windowpane floated golden particles of dust, settling onto the floor and other such places.

Faye set about crushing the pills into a fine powder and then mixing it with water. Faye waited for it to adopt a paste-like consistency. Once it did, Faye applied it gently to the yellow substance in the dish. She waited, with baited breath.

Nothing was happening. Faye had hoped for the iron to reorder the substance into red blood cells, changing its elemental make-up. No such luck. Faye threw away the iron-coated essence, still in the dish and took some more from Spike's wound. Trial and error would have to work. Faye had no clue how to work around this substance.

Slowly but surely, Faye worked her was through the various bottles of pills and powders that decorated her bag. She went through many plates, each one discarded with the failure. Nothing seemed to be working. If it didn't do anything within twenty minutes, Faye would throw it away, to the side.

"Damn it all." Faye muttered. She swept her long violet tresses behind her ear violently and looked around. None of the chemicals alone had worked. She would have to mix and match the medicines. Faye bit her bottom lip. That was dangerous. Mixing and matching could have un-foretold consequences on the patient.

Sweeping her jade eyes around the various dishes littered around her. Nothing had changed. Nothing. Faye began to look through her bag, hurriedly. She felt a change firing rapidly through her body but she couldn't acknowledge it now. Usually, Faye would've given up by now. She would have left and gone home. But this was Spike. Her childhood friend. The boy she used to have a crush on and depend on for security. The boy who used to catch her when she fell or hold her hand when running. He was always there.

Faye dug even deeper to the bottom of the bag, finding a medicine, no…a spice. Turmeric. Its raw, gritty golden color was brilliant in the color of the setting sun. Faye poured some of the powder into a dish and added water. This was her last hope. Spike's last hope.

Turmeric was from Earth. It was used in medicine long before the twentieth century, in a place in ancient India. It was apart of Ayurvedic medicine, some of the greatest ever. Now in the twenty-second century, it was no longer used. People would more likely inject a strange fluid into their body than let a powder heal from the outside.

Faye took the golden paste and applied it to the matter in the dish. Faye sat back and waited. The sky had darkened now, leaving her with little to no light. A lamp stood nearby. With the flick of a dainty finger, Faye flicked on the switch. Immediately, the room was bathed in a warm glow. 

When she returned to the matter, Faye noticed something with a smile. A brilliant smile. The yellow filth was disappearing. Slowly, yes but it was leaving.

Faye delightedly pulled out more spices and plant pieces used in Ayurvedic medicine. It was helping. Why not?

.~.

It was around two in the morning, Martian time. Faye had just finished applying turmeric paste to all of Spike's wounds. She wrapped them in gauze after placing the paste of daucus carota, or wild carrot, on his wounds.

Slowly, Faye stood up, her joints popping with the strain. Her back ached and she was dirty. This place was disgusting. Faye dragged her tired body over to Annie. She tapped Annie on the shoulder.

Annie awoke with a jerk and looked around like a crazed woman. When her eyes focused on Faye, a smile broke out.

"How is he Nurse?" 

"Better. Do you want me to explain how to fix his wounds?" Annie nodded gently. With a grunt, she stood up and made her way over to the sleeping Spike.

"First you have to make a paste out of these two." Faye held up the two bottles. One of turmeric and one of wild carrot. "Then clean out his wounds with water. After that, apply this one, the wild carrot, first. Then apply this one, the turmeric. Gauze should be used to cover up the wounds. Okay?"

Annie nodded. "Is there anything else?"

"Well, his face will be stained the color of the powders for a while. But nothing time and water can't handle. It's a waiting game." Annie smiled and showed Faye to the door.

"Thank you Nurse."

"Just doing my job." Faye began to walk away before stopping and turning. Should she?

"Uh…Annie?"

"Yes?"

"Could you tell him that I said hi? Tell him my name too." 

Annie smiled.

.~.

Three months had passed, during which Faye had fallen back into her rhythmic lifestyle. Her job at the hospital was as stable as ever, with the occasional syndicate job. Faye hadn't seen Spike after their last encounter and she didn't think she'd ever see him again. It was a once in a lifetime happening. Nothing would come out of it.

Her lab coat grazed her jeans as she took hurried steps towards the IC ward. One of her patients was experiencing a rapid increase in pain in their chest. It signaled only one thing. A heart attack.

Faye swept into the room, her demure yet seductive presence filling it immediately. Instantly Faye was by the side of an aging grandmother.

"Where did you feel the pain?"

The old lady pointed to her left breast, circling around the tension point. Faye nodded and began to prepare an IV.

"Was the pain sharp or dull?"

"Dull." Faye let out a sigh of relief and smiled at the elderly woman. "You're going to be fine Lorraine. I'm just going to insert an IV needle here. It's very week and it's been cultured correctly. No worries, okay?"

"Thank you Nurse." The elderly lady stated, a gentle and genuine smile appearing on her face.

"So, when are you grandchildren coming to visit? Open for the pills please."

"These pills taste horrible. They're coming tomorrow. They said they want to see grandma lying down. I'm usually up and about." A sad look overshadowed the joy in the old woman's eyes. Faye grasped her hand. "Don't lose hope." She smiled and left.

Faye left the room and turned left, flipping through the clipboard in her hands. They were the vital signs of another one of her patients. The signs weren't good. They showed signs of a impending heart attack but when they had done a surgery to remove the blockages in the arteries, they found that there were none.

Glancing up, Faye moved along only to freeze as her eyes landed on three men whose black suits contrasted harshly with the cream interior of the walls. They were standing in the corner, without moving. Faye glanced to their waist area uneasily, to confirm her beliefs. Yes. They held guns. They were playing the waiting game.

Abruptly turning the other way, Faye walked towards the other end of the hospital. She soon became immersed in the clipboard in her hands and forgot about the three black suited men.

Faye entered another room where she found a middle-aged man staring at the wall. His face was emaciated and pale, eyes practically bursting from their sockets. He was dying. All they were doing was waiting. It was a waiting game. He knew it as well. 

Occasionally, he would rustle around, just to make sure he himself was still alive. It made him feel better. It made Faye feel better too.

No one knew how he was dying. He had been eating dinner one day at a restaurant in Metro, one of Venus's up and coming city's, when he felt a pain in his heart. They took him to a hospital in Metro but he had nothing. So he was sent to Mars, home, where he was progressively getting worse.

Silently, Faye gilded over to the heart monitor, pushing her hair back to see the strength in its signal. Nothing was wrong. She stood up and began to go through his papers again when she heard something.

Nothing.

There was no noise. He wasn't rustling. Faye's head shot up. He laid there, his eyes closed peacefully. Her head jerked back to the heart monitor, which still read a beating heart. Something was wrong.

Faye dropped the clipboard and began to shake the man. He wasn't opening his eyes. She placed her cheek near his lips and nose, trying to detect some sort of sign that he was breathing. None.

Faye began to scream for help. Within minutes, the whole room was filled with trained doctors and nurses, both of whom would look back and forth between the heart monitor and his body. He was dead but he wasn't.

Faye, along with others, began to inject three different sets of fluid into his body. These were meant to wash out any blockages. But the problem was, everyone knew there wasn't one.

His heart monitor read flat three minutes after Faye's scream for help.

.~.

Faye wearily entered her apartment, shutting the door with her foot. The day had been hectic and filled with even more paperwork because of the death of the man. One of the questions was asking for his cause of death. No one knew.

Shuffling slowly, Faye made her way over to the kitchen drawer where she opened it up and pulled out a cigarette. Faye brought it to her coral lips and lit it. As the poisonous smoke filled her lungs, she could feel the calming effect it had on her. She was addicted. So shoot her.

Once she was done smoking the cancer stick, Faye made her way to the kitchen where she popped out a few ingredients from the fridge. She set them on the counter and began to prepare a meal. Over the last three months, Faye had taken a few cooking classes. They had served her well. She could cook food.

Faye set about cutting up the vegetables, letting her thoughts wander to the day's events. A few tears slid down her unmarred cheek before Faye broke out into a sob. Quietly sliding to the floor, Faye let the tears fall. She couldn't save him…she couldn't save him…

Almost immediately after that thought a loud knock echoed off of her door. Troubled, Faye peered at her watch. It was three in the morning!

Faye got up off the floor and went to answer the door. Another knock resonated wildly.

"I'm coming!" Faye yelled back. Frustrated, Faye mumbled something about no time to cry.

Faye unlocked the door, opening it widely, a witty remark dancing on her lips. It fell away. A gun was pointed at her head.'

"You Faye Valentine? Syndicate Nurse?" Faye contemplated lying. It wasn't smart.

"Y-yes…"

"I'm here to kill you. Me and my buddies here have been ordered to do so by our boss."

"Your boss? Why does he want me killed?"

"You ever visited Achilles and heal some dead guy?"

'…Spike…' His name resonated through her mind.

"No."

"Yes you have, lady!" The man number two proclaimed. "He's got a gun to your head. I'd watch it if I were you. Low-life."

Faye felt livid. A low-life? She? A doctor? A low-life? No way.

"I don't heal dead people. I heal people who are alive! Say it with me now! Alive! It's called thinking. You should try it sometime!" She spat back. The moment it had left her lips, Faye knew it was a mistake.

But there was no time for regrets.

The sound of three gunshots united with a scream of horror from Faye.

.~.

Third chapter and going strong. It's going to be a short story. Ten chapters at most. Thanks for the awesome reviews!! Take the brownies!! * Hands out brownies to the reviewers *

**faye-faye14-** Aww! Thanks! I'm so glad someone came back! Only two people did. But that's okay! Vicious is yucky. I tried to portray him as a sick freak. As for Julia, I'm not a huge fan of Julia's either. She's too…perfect…

**Blooknaburg**- Thank you for reviewing both chapters! I felt loved! After I read your first review, I practically melted. And then I saw you left another review. Ah! Yes I am very bad! Did you like this ending? I like fluff agony too. It'll be here. Don't worry.

**birdychick**- Yay! You came back! Two people came back! Yes! Spike is extremely hotttttt. Lots of t's. ^.^ I'm so glad you liked it. I was trying to go for something original and this is what I got.

**ni9htdreame12**- Sorry for leaving you hanging! Hope you liked this one better…hehe...

**Silver Wolf Gurl**-Thanks for your encouragement. It matters so much!


	4. People Change Frustrations Don't

Disclaimer: Not mine

Run

Faye took a few uneasy steps backwards, as the blood from their wounds dotted her face and body. The three men seemed to teeter on the edge of the living and the dead as they circled around and around. Finally they fell, their bodies making a horrendously large noise. Faye instinctively bent down to their level and checked their pulses.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm checking if they're alive." Faye looked up. That person was the one who killed these three! "You murd..." The words fell from her lips as she took in the sight before her. Spike stood there inspecting the gun that was still in his hand. He was dressed in a new trench coat and a blue suit with a yellow shirt. Faye regained her bearings.  
  
"You idiot! You killed them!" Spike looked up from his inspection with a confused look on his face. "You're getting mad at me for killing the people who tried to kill you?"  
  
Faye suddenly realized how silly she sounded. "Vicious is after you for keeping me alive. We need to get out of here." Faye nodded dumbly and stood up, looking for her coat, scarf, 'Nurse bag,' a large bed sheet, a towel to wipe her face with and something quick to eat. Faye covered the bodies of the three dead men with the bed sheet, giving them a silent prayer while at it.  
  
Once Faye had grabbed the other items, she ran to a drawer in her kitchen from where she retrieved her hospital ID, keys to her apartment and a few other miscellaneous items. Spike raised an eyebrow when he noticed the keys.  
  
"You really think you're gonna be back here?" Faye looked at him skeptically.  
  
"Of course you lunkhead. I live here." Spike shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and began walking down the steps towards the parking lot. Faye followed him, locking the door to her apartment behind her. The car that Spike was driving seemed familiar to Faye, in an odd sort of way. She eyed it as she made her way towards it, prompting a comment from Spike.  
  
"You never seen a car before?"  
  
"I have. It's just that this one seems familiar."  
  
"All Red Dragon cars are alike. I would've brought my Swordfish but it only seats one." Faye was about to ask why he was driving a fish but then thought better of it. She was lost, really lost in his world.  
  
"Oh. Why'd they come after me?" Faye slid into the leather seat of the car, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.  
  
"I told you-"  
  
"No! I know it's because I kept you alive, but why aren't they following the SNG?"  
  
"Syndicate Nurse Guidelines? Damn, you ask a lot of questions."  
  
"I'm a questioning girl. Now answer." Faye retorted. Spike let out a wry laugh and began to steer with one elbow, using his hands to light a cigarette. After taking a deep drag, he answered Faye's question.  
  
"The guidelines protect you from other syndicates which would've, under normal circumstances, probably shot you dead on the spot for going to other syndicates. Vicious would've followed the guidelines because no syndicate wants to draw the ISSP to them in more than one way but I'm alive. And healthy. And that's one thing we don't want." Faye crinkled her nose at the way Spike intentionally blew the smoke in her direction. She rolled down the window.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Nothing. Just shut up and let me drive."  
  
"No. I want you to answer my question."  
  
"Like I said, you ask too many of them."  
  
"Because I want answers, dammit!"  
  
"Someone's gotta temper." He was laughing at her! Faye huffed and snatched his cigarette away, jamming it in between her lips. She smiled gloatingly at him.  
  
"Give that back! It was my last one!" Spike tried reaching over and grabbing the cigarette from Faye's lips but Faye anticipated his move. She moved her head to the side, so the cigarette literally dangled outside the window.  
  
"If you want it, give me answers." Sucking in, Faye watched the tip of the cigarette glow a dusky orange. As she exhaled, she made sure to release the toxic air in Spike's direction. He shot her a dirty look before smiling wickedly. Faye cocked her head to the side confusedly. She found out soon enough.  
  
Spike slammed down on the brakes, causing Faye to pitch forward and open her mouth in a silent scream. The cigarette went flying, right out the conveniently opened window. It landed in a nearby puddle. Faye whirled on him.  
  
"That was a good cig!"  
  
"Your fault for gaping like fish when all I did was put the brakes on!"  
  
"I did not gape like a fish! I opened my mouth in surprise!"  
  
"Same thing. And now you've gone and drowned my last one. Damn you are annoying." He ran a hand through his hair before beginning to drive again. The two managed to keep silent for about three more minutes when Spike cursed loudly and made a sharp left turn, once again forcing Faye to another side of the car.  
  
"What the hell was that for?!"  
  
"They're following us." That was all Spike had time to say before a gunshot echoed off the buildings around them. Faye only had time to see the headlights of the car before Spike's hand forced her down.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"They're trying to kill us. When I tell you to, get to the back and stay down. Grab your crap too. We'll be leaving this piece of shit soon." Faye bundled up all of her items and held them close to her chest, waiting for Spike to give her the go-ahead. During her time crouched down in the passenger seat, Faye experienced a multitude of different swinging sensations, as well as those that were new to her ear, seeing as Spike would periodically swerve quickly to right or left, causing the wheels to screech loudly.  
  
"Okay! Now!" Spike yelled. Faye unbuckled herself hastily and threw herself into the back. She cowered on the floor as she watched Spike load his gun while driving with his elbow again. Rolling down his window, Spike made an ear-deafening u-turn in the middle of the street and then began rapidly setting bullets onto the other car. Faye heard the car accelerate and heard the small yet unmistakable sound of bullets connecting with flesh.  
  
"Spike!" Faye peered through the cavity in between the two front seats but Spike wasn't paying any attention to her. Once again, he was reloading his gun, twisting his arm backwards and firing at the car behind them. After a few seconds of silence, Faye thought that he had gotten them but she was mistaken.  
  
The back windshield exploded with the force of the bullet and Faye could hear Spike's distinctive tones swearing colorfully. Faye shook herself to shake the glass that lay on her body to the floor. Spike glanced back at her. He shuffled around a bit and then threw something at her. Faye caught it and her eyes became as wide as Saturn's rings.  
  
"Holy Jupiter! Why did you give me this?" Spike threw a cocky smirk at her and pointed his gun through the broken windshield, letting off three successive bullets. Faye got the message but she wasn't ready to give the message. Looking down at the gun in her hands, Faye swallowed and got up, using the gun in her possession to swipe the glass away.  
  
Wind was whipping wildly, causing Faye's violet tresses to obstruct her view. She sat up, in clear view of the gunners from behind. She was about to fire when she felt a hand force her down.  
  
"What do you think you're doing? They could've killed you just now! Try and find some cover!" Spike reprimanded, still driving.  
  
Faye nodded numbly and crouched down on her knees instead of standing up fully on them. She took a peak at the syndicate men ahead of her and let off a bullet. Faye ducked down again, breathing deeply. She'd just shot at something! A large, almost explosion-like sound filled the air. It didn't stop there. A screeching filled the night, akin to the screeching of the tires when Spike made drastic turns. But this one was different. Faye took a peek again but was forced back down when she heard guns go off.  
  
After a few alternating sounds of bullets hitting either the trunk or the seats inside, Faye looked out again. There were sparks being emitted from the front tire! Rejoicing silently at her excellent aim, Faye fired off another bullet, narrowly missing the warmonger in the passenger seat.  
  
"Get the driver!" Spike shouted, causing Faye to shoot a bullet into the canopy of the car out of sheer surprise. "Fuck, I'm stuck with an amateur." Spike muttered.  
  
Faye was about to fire off a smart retort when another volley of gunshots was heard. Waiting until they were over, she then hunkered up and let off two more bullets. The unmistakable sound of a crashing car was heard instantly. Faye popped her head up without caution and saw that the syndicate car had crashed into a civilian car, engulfing the syndicate car in flames.  
  
Disgusted, Faye threw down the gun and began dusting the glass off of herself. She'd just helped cause the death of an innocent man, woman or family. Making her way into the front seat, Faye handed the gun back to Spike who silently took it and pocketed it in his trench coat. Faye turned away and sat there thinking.  
  
"How did they know that this was us?"  
  
"This car is a syndicate car. They'll know by that much. They were probably following us ever since we left your apartment. Vicious makes sure that things are done properly so he sends more than the needed amount."  
  
"Oh." Spike slowed down and began driving at a leisurely pace, acting as if he was looking for something. There was no indication in his demeanor that he'd just had to fight for his life.  
  
"You got shot, didn't you." It wasn't a question. Spike let his eyes slide towards Faye who was staring out the window.  
  
"Yeah. I always get shot." Spike said. "I'll take a look at it later."  
  
"So will I." Faye left no room for argument. She turned to another subject.  
  
"You're a lot different than from what I remember."  
  
"You shouldn't be talking."  
  
"Yeah well, I always knew I wanted to be a nurse. You didn't strike me as the type who'd join a syndicate."  
  
"Times change and so do people." Faye turned her head to look at Spike.  
  
"It was those people, wasn't it? The ones who came to get you after...after..." Faye didn't need to finish her sentence. They both knew what she was alluding to.  
  
"Yeah." Faye stared at him.  
  
"Aren't you going to tell me what happened?"  
  
"No." Faye looked at Spike incredulously and shifted in her seat so that she was now fully facing him.  
  
"You're not going to tell me?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Lunkhead."  
  
"Same to you." Faye shook her head sadly and turned away again. A solemn, almost depressing air had fallen over her. This wasn't her world. She wasn't supposed to be shooting at people and she sure as hell wasn't supposed to be here, ready to open her heart to her changed friend.  
  
"Once you left," Faye began softly, "the ISSP came. They wouldn't tell me how or why the houses caught on fire. None of my relatives were alive...but you already knew that." Spike didn't seem like he was listening but Faye continued. She needed to get this off her chest. "An officer with the ISSP saw me crying and decided to take me in. My parents hadn't left a will. Your parents did but you were gone so they haven't done anything with your stuff yet.  
  
"The officer's name was Jet Black and he took me in. He became my father and he got me through school and everything. I'm thankful for that. But I haven't thanked him yet. All I do is take advantage of his kooky kindness." Faye's lips quirked upwards at that. Wasn't everyday you got to meet someone like Jet. He was odd, as was his way of showing love. But Faye didn't mind. "I never did get to know how our parents died. I always thought that maybe it was because our fathers worked in the microbiology field and so one of their cultured experiments must have reacted violently with the heat they were under. But I guess I'll never know."  
  
Faye fell silent, aware that Spike had slowed down. He seemed to want to know why their parents died. So he didn't know either. Faye sighed and shifted her weight once again. She had thought that maybe he would know. The minutes passed by during which a relaxed silence sat in the air. The two had failed to notice how comfortable they were with each other.  
  
Spike soon came to a stop in a deserted parking lot and got out. Faye followed suit, grabbing her luggage and bustling out of the car. Spike stood there watching her, experimenting with his lighter. On and off. On and off. Faye watched him too, noticing the way the feeble flame from the lighter played on his face.  
  
"Do you have anything flammable in there?" Faye was jolted out of her reverie. She nodded in answer.  
  
"Get it out then." Faye scrambled through her bag and produced a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Handing it to Spike, she stepped back. Spike opened the bottle and splattered the liquid over the seats and other such places.  
  
"Hey! Be careful with that stuff! I only have so much of it!" Spike looked at her and raised an eyebrow. He turned his eyes to the bottle and smirked again. With that, he turned the bottle upside down so that all the liquid inside came gushing out.  
  
Horrified, Faye came rushing forward, and kicked him in the shins. As he doubled over, Faye grabbed the bottle of her precious rubbing alcohol and turned it right-side-up. A little over a third was left. Faye quickly screwed the cap back on. Still angered, Faye turned viciously onto Spike and surprised him when she began attacking him with kicks and punches.  
  
"You idiot! You lunkhead! You retard! This is the only bottle of rubbing alcohol I have left! Argh!" Faye stalked away angrily, to where she had left her baggage abandoned. Stuffing the alcohol back into its pouch, Faye turned to see Spike use his lighter to light the damp areas of the car on fire. Once that was done he jogged over to where a huffy Faye stood.  
  
Unconsciously rubbing where she'd punched him, Spike pushed her out of the way roughly before motioning for her to follow him. Faye straightened herself after the push and stood her ground, tapping her foot.  
  
"I'm not moving from here." Spike turned to look at her, an amused expression settling itself on his face.  
  
"Alright. Suit yourself." Shrugging nonchalantly, Spike made his way to the nearby housing area, filled with brothels and seedy hotels. Faye huffed and did stand her ground, waiting to see how long it took Spike to turn and come for her.  
  
Spike never did turn to see her. He just kept on walking as if he had not a care in the world. Faye picked up her luggage and was about to scream bloody murder when something did for her. The car behind her exploded.  
  
Faye shrieked and ran towards the retreating figure of Spike Speigal. Once she reached him, she used her bag to conk him on the head.  
  
"You could've at least warned me that the car was going to explode!" Spike took a few steps with his long legs to come closer to her until she had to look up at him, anger in her eyes.  
  
"You could've at least used your brains." retorted the offended Spike. "Let's try thinking. Rubbing alcohol, flammable by the way, plus flame plus car equals big boom. Get it?" With that, Spike turned away, bringing a new cigarette to his lips.  
  
"Where'd you get that cig? I thought you were all out!" Faye said accusingly.  
  
"I am." He answered simply. "But you're not." Faye patted herself down and found her pack of cigarettes in her pocket. The stupid theif stole one! "That's mine! Give it back!" Spike lifted the now lit cigarette above her head and stopped, bending down next to her ear.  
  
"You stole mine, I steal yours." Spike said. Faye continued glaring at him before following him into the entrance of a nearby hotel.  
  
.  
  
Okay, first off, a huge apology is in order. I really am sorry you guys. I decided that it was foolish of me to work on two fics at one time, both of which had different styles that needed to be used. So I focused on the one that I started first and was closest to finishing...that's right. My other one. I'm really sorry and hope that you are all still here.  
  
Spike is real OOC in this chapter. I don't know how to write him! Please people! Help me out here! Give me some conversations that I could've done differently or something like that! Please!  
  
**The Final Fantasy Warrior-** Hi! Oops. Sorry. I thought I'd cleared up that issue when I explained the SNG beforehand but I guess not. Real sorry. I hope that I cleared that up now. Thanks for bringing that up. If you catch any more inconsistencies, could you let me know? Thanks.  
  
**birdychick**-Sorry for the long wait! I love reading your reviews! They just make me so happy! Ahh! I can't stop smiling after I read your reviews. If all my reviewers were like you, then I wouldn't care if I only had four reviews at the end of this whole story. Thank you so much!  
  
**Wolf Jade**- Man you people are too good. Maybe it's just because I'm so predictable but still. It's fun. How did you like this chapter?  
  
**Blooknaburg**- The strange thing is, I'm not a doctor in training and nor do I plan to ever be one. But ALL my fics have to do with doctors. Weird, huh? Fluffagony...We'll be seeing that soon. Hopefully in the next chapter but don't take my word for it. I like how I've developed Faye. Her punching Spike is fun! Hehe. Thanks for favoriting me! You're too good at figuring everything out! Sorry this took so long to get out there!  
  
**Shaded Emerald-Eyes**- Sorry! Had to stop! But I'm back! You guessed right! And Spike and Faye are going to have fun! I'm real sorry for taking so long! Really, really, really!  
  
**faye-faye14**- Your dream was right! It was Spike and he came to the rescue of our gorgeous heroine Faye! Sorry about not updating soon. I did come up with some really good ideas though! So no problems!  
  
Thanks you all for your great reviews!


	5. Murder Mystery

Disclaimer: Not mine  
  
Run  
  
Once Faye stepped into the hotel, she had to take an involuntary step back. It was swelteringly hot in the so-called lobby. Immediately, Faye dropped all of her belongings and began to shed her coat and scarf. Once she finished, she looked up to see Spike adding the finishing touches by rolling up his sleeves, the blue jacket and coat hanging over his arm. After taking a deep drag of Faye's cigarette, he turned to the greasy haired man behind the counter who was eyeing Spike with a strange interest. He didn't even seem to notice Faye.  
  
"One room, two beds." Spike said blandly, still preoccupied with one of his stubborn sleeves which refused to roll up anymore.  
  
"That will be forty woolongs." Spike nodded and dished out the said amount. He dropped it casually into the man's hand. Again, the man peered up to Spike, his eyes gleaming with a prospect unknown to the other two occupants of the room.  
  
"You know, I also have another business which might interest you." Faye looked up as she paced the furnace of a lobby. The man's sneaky eyes were still fixed on Spike who stood there, casually smoking the stolen cigarette. Faye walked up to the desk and leaned on it. Spike did the same, propping himself up on one arm, cheek in palm.  
  
"Really?" Spike drawled uninterestedly. The man nodded feverishly, his eyes shining once again. "You see, I also run a brothel. Would you be interested in having a female for the lonely night?"  
  
Faye raised an eyebrow at the man. Did he not notice her standing right there? Apparently he did because when Faye cleared her throat, he nodded at her but then quickly diverted his attention back to Spike.  
  
"No thanks." Spike said apathetically. Faye watched with slight interest as the man's mousy eyes widened in...understanding? "Oh sir, I understand completely! We have men as well!"  
  
Faye burst out laughing. Spike's elbow slipped in surprise at that statement. He stood staring at the man with a blank look on his face, as the smoking stick hung limply from his lips. Once he recovered himself, Spike practically growled at the cowering man before grabbing the keys and storming to the nearby elevator. Faye followed with a yawn and a giggle. She was tired but it was still funny.  
  
Once the elevator doors slid shut, Faye smiled cheekily at Spike. He 'hmphed' in return before turning away from her. Shrugging, Faye let her thoughts wander. They soon ambled down the path of what had happened to her in the last twenty-four hours. A patient almost had a heart attack, another died, for reasons unknown, the paperwork monster came, the killers from the syndicate, Spike coming, running away with Spike, having a car chase, being shot at, shooting at people, Spike getting shot, the car blowing up...Faye's thought process stalled as she rewound a little bit. Spike got shot...  
  
Faye turned and sized Spike up. He didn't act like a guy who'd just been shot. The butt of the cigarette hung from his lips, hands were stuffed in pockets and shoulders were hunched over. His coat and jacket still hung over his arm. There. On the jacket. A dark stain. Blood. Dried blood.  
  
"You go shot on the arm?" Spike looked up at her, surprise on his face.  
  
"Nah. It just nicked my wrist." Faye nodded.  
  
"I'll wrap it up for you." Spike again stared at her, as if trying to figure out if she had any hidden motives.  
  
"Okay." No thanks, no nothing. The elevator came to a rumbling stop, its doors opening slowly and irregularly. Spike stepped inside and lead the way down to where the room was. Forcing the key in, Spike pushed open the sticky door, which lead to an equally sticky looking room. The air reeked of sweat, saliva and other body odors which Faye didn't want to identify. Suddenly it hit Faye that since the man ran a brothel, these rooms were used for more than sleeping.  
  
Crinkling up her fair nose, Faye stifled another yawn before turning to Spike who was taking off his shirt.  
  
"Let me see your hand."  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Yes. Now hold it out." Spike begrudgingly did so. Faye inspected it in the dim lighting before returning to her bag and pulling out the materials and liquids she needed. With deft fingers, Faye tied up Spike's injury.  
  
"There now it's done." Spike nodded before he went back to taking off his clothes. Faye watched him appreciatively before turning to one of the beds. She wasn't embarrassed about watching him undress. She was a Nurse for Saturn's sake! But she couldn't help but admire his physique. And she couldn't help the foxy grin that crossed her lips either. Quickly, Faye went over to the windows and opened them up. They needed some fresh air. From the window, Faye saw the car burning. Funny how their room let them see right to the crime scene.  
  
Faye donned her coat so that she wouldn't have to get underneath the covers. You never knew if they washed these blankets or not. Faye slipped off her shoes, yawned and then collapsed onto the bed. She was asleep within minutes.  
  
  
  
Faye bolted into sitting position. Spike sat on his bed, a grin on his face.  
  
"Didn't know that throwing things at your head would still have the same effect. I just wanted to try it." Faye shoved her hair out of her face and glared at him.  
  
"You could have just asked me instead!"  
  
"Where's the fun in that?" Faye got up, grumbling about Spike and his ways of waking her up. He'd been doing that since they had had their first sleepover with each other when she was five and he was six.  
  
Faye was delighted when she found out that the hotel had hot water. She took in the shower for what seemed like an eternity before Spike started hammering on the door. Grumbling once more, Faye got out and dressed in the clothes she wore the day before. Faye came out to find Spike waiting for her. They shared a few dark looks before heading out for breakfast. However, before they did, Spike did something very odd.  
  
Ripping a small piece of his gauze off, Spike put it in the doorway so that it was suspended between the doorframe and the door. Cocking her head to one side, Faye shot a questioning look Spike's way. He answered simply.  
  
"It's to see if people walk in without our permission. When we come back, if the gauze is on the floor, it means someone is in there, waiting for us." Faye blinked a few times before pointing out to him that the cleaning ladies might open the door.  
  
"I didn't expect someone like you to notice that there is no maintenance staff here."  
  
"What exactly are you implying?!" Spike sent her a cocky grin. "Nothing. Don't worry yourself with it."  
  
The two walked out into the sunlight and strolled down the path to a better part of town. There, they sat down at a small café and ordered some breakfast. Faye also grabbed a newspaper before being seated across Spike. She opened it up, peering at the front page with interest.  
  
"Look! They mentioned my patient! Only they don't mention him..." Faye's forehead creased together. They only showed his picture and the name of his company. His name was kept confidential, the paper said, because of his family's wishes.  
  
"Poor guy." She muttered.  
  
"What was his name?" Spike asked.  
  
"Uhhh..." Faye couldn't believe it. Had she really forgotten his name? "It's something like Reef Giant Angelli...." Spike sat up immediately, his position one of a tense man.  
  
"Say that again."  
  
"Reef Giant Angelli."  
  
"You mean, Reeve Giangeli?"  
  
"Yeah! That's it!" Spike's face became drawn and the blood seemed to leave his face.  
  
"Why? Was he important?" Spike nodded as he covered his face with his hands. Their food came just then and Faye held her tongue until the waiters left. Once they did, she asked him again.  
  
"Does the paper say what company he headed?" Faye looked back down at the paper before nodding.  
  
"It's called Imaaf. Why? Did you know him?" Spike shook his head but the look on his face said otherwise.  
  
"You did know him!" A few people around them turned to look at them. Faye smiled uneasily before stuffing some pancake into her mouth. Spike did the same, though his face was still concentrating. "Does it say how he died?"  
  
"I don't know how."  
  
"No, I'm ask-"  
  
"I know. But I was one of his caretakers and was there when he died. We don't know how he died. They say that he died of heart attack but that's not true because he didn't have any blockages whatsoever. He was one of the healthiest men I'd ever met except for the fact that he was dying!" With that, Faye triumphantly stuffed some more of her food into her mouth.  
  
"So no one knows how he died." Faye nodded. No one knew.  
  
"That's wrong. Only the killer would know." Faye looked up at him.  
  
"He was murdered?" Spike nodded and leaned forward, his gaze on Faye. "Rearrange the letters of Imaaf." Faye sat there for a few seconds before realization dawned on her face.  
  
"Mafia?" She hissed. Spike nodded. Faye shook her head. "It's just a coincidence." They spoke in hushed tones so that only they could hear each other.  
  
"No it's not Faye. Reeve Giangeli was the kid slated to become the next leader of the Planetary Mafia. After the death of Russo, they had him picked."  
  
"How would you know this?"  
  
"All nationalities have their mobs. They're syndicates, only better organized. There's the Italian Mafia, Japanese Yakuza, Indian Bujhti, Argentinean Casa del Diablo and all the others out there. Syndicates sometimes merge with these. We were going to merge with the Yakuza but then it broke off because the Yakuza wanted to go after the Mafia while it was weak."  
  
"So do you think this was the Yakuza?"  
  
"No. The Yakuza and all groups like it will proclaim that the death was there doing by leaving something behind or announcing it. If he died yesterday, then all the news crews would have already known it was Yakuza or something of the sort because the group would have called and let them know."  
  
Faye digested this all slowly her large emerald eyes still fixed on her pancake, which was now cold from the prodding with her fork. So then who was this killer? Why did he kill Giangeli? Shaking her head vigorously, Faye looked up to the pensive Spike.  
  
"This doesn't concern us so we don't have to worry about it, do we?" It was true. Spike knew that as well. Why be bothered by something that didn't concern him?  
  
"No. Let's go. I gotta get my Swordfish." Faye nodded, wiped her mouth with a napkin and followed Spike outside. He ambled down the main street, to a storage area nearby. Silently, Faye reflected back on their conversation at the café. He had been more open with her than she had expected.  
  
The two soon reached the area. Spike showed his pass to one of the attendants there who nodded and motioned for the two to follow him. Soon, they came to a large storage unit which the man unlocked, revealing a red ship. Faye's eyebrows shot up. This was one nice ride. But she would never admit that to Spike.  
  
Already, Spike was babying the ship, checking for anything out of the ordinary. Faye watched as he swung himself into the cockpit, testing out the controls. He motioned for the attendant and Faye.  
  
"How many woolongs do you have Faye?"  
  
"A lot." Spike nodded and looked to the attendant.  
  
"Get her a cheap ride, will you?"  
  
"How's a Model 4 Auxerex?" The man questioned.  
  
"Yeah. Doubt she'll be able to fly anything. At least that one has easy maneuverability." Faye felt her blood rise and stomped her foot angrily.  
  
"Jet taught me how to fly! He taught me on a RedTail! So if you have one, bring it!"  
  
"Uh, ma'am? RedTail's are a bit expensive." Faye switched her glare from the stocky attendant to the astonished Spike. At his look, a slow smile spread over Faye's face. She stuck her tongue out at Spike before telling the attendant to get her the RedTail. She was Nurse and they made some damn good money.  
  
After a few terse minutes, the RedTail was brought forth by the attendant. Faye held out her woolong card and let the man charge it on there. He handed her a gold bracelet which he explained would allow her to call the frog-like ship anytime she wanted, anywhere. Once the transaction was done, Faye jumped into the cockpit and started it up.  
  
Shivers ran through her body but she suppressed them. She couldn't let Spike see how nervous she was. It'd been two years since she had last flown the trashy RedTail that Jet had borrowed from the ISSP to train her. Two long years and now Faye could feel her hands clench in anticipation. She loved flying. It was freedom.  
  
At once, Faye took off, surprising many of the people around the storage area. Spike soon followed after her. The two became partners in an intense and intricate ballet in the sky, weaving through buildings and dodging birds and other slower ships. The two reached the landing dock near their hotel at the same time. Just as they were about to bicker about who won the race, media vans and police cars went racing down towards the southern end of town. People were running in that direction too, some of them with a frenzied expression placed onto their faces.  
  
Faye grabbed the arm of one such lady. The lady skidded to a stop, staring at Faye.  
  
"What's going on?" Acting as if there was a conspiracy, the lady knelt forward, towards Faye's ear.  
  
"They say that the head researcher, you know, the one who's been there for twenty-eight years, of BioLabs is dead. Murdered..." The woman kept on chatting about this latest death before leaving Faye alone. But Faye hadn't heard the last words of the lady.  
  
"BioLabs..." Faye whispered, letting it roll off of her tongue. The name of the company was eerily familiar. Comprehension of where she'd heard that name before dawned on Faye. She turned violently to see a shocked Spike staring at her, their minds thinking the same thoughts.  
  
"BioLabs was where our fathers worked...wasn't it?" Spike didn't even respond. He took off running, following the crowd in his mad desperation. He turned to ask Faye a question but she wasn't there. Looking through the throngs of people heading towards the murder, Spike could make out a mass of violet hair where he'd left Faye. Cursing violently, Spike ran against the massive sea of people, before reaching the despondent Faye who sat on the ground.  
  
Spike grabbed her hand and yanked her up. Without even giving an explanation, Spike began running again, towards the murder scene. They reached there but it was to no avail. The entrances were blocked by the local police force and the multitude of people clamoring to sight the body of one of the most respected men in the solar system.  
  
Faye had recovered from her despondency and did some quick thinking. Digging into her pockets, she pulled out her hospital ID and placed it around her neck. Tapping Spike, Faye silently pointed to her ID. Spike nodded in understanding and followed Faye as she pushed her way through the crowd.  
  
"Excuse me...Doctor coming through...Yeah, hi...Move people!..." Faye finally made it through the crowd, her hand and Spike's still entwined. The police woman there halted Faye's progress but all Faye had to do was flash her ID before the lady let her in.  
  
"He's with me." Faye said before the lady could stop Spike. The lady nodded and let the two through.  
  
Skipping up the stairs, Spike and Faye burst into the room. Thankfully, there was only a very young doctor there. Faye took advantage of this situation and showed the surrounding law enforcement her ID. Spike wandered around, looking for anything suspicious.  
  
Faye crouched down next to the fumbling young man. Once he saw her, he dropped the vial of fluid he was holding. Faye resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Obviously he was still in the stage where he became spellbound with the looks of beautiful women. Falling into the act, Faye gave him a coy smile while fiddling with his hand.  
  
Oh how it disgusted her.  
  
The boy blushed even more, backing away as well. At least it worked. Giving him a sly wink and a seductive smile, Faye turned back to the dead body, the boy's case of fluids and electronics in her hand.  
  
"Well, don't seem like he went through any pain or nothin' like that." A police officer spoke up. "I mean, at least it weren't anythin' like the Speigal/Valentine murders."  
  
Faye felt a shudder run through her body. This man knew!  
  
"Speigal/Valentine?" She asked, trying to mask the emotion in her voice. This was all too lucky! They'd come here to find answers about their parents and here they were!  
  
"Ya don't know about them? Well, it was on Earth and the two were great scientist people, if ya know what I mean. And then one day, their houses catches on fire! No one knows why, of course. But they's was burnt to death all the same."  
  
"Oh." Faye couldn't help but let the disappointment leak through. So he didn't know.  
  
Bringing out an electrical pad with numerous keys, Faye attached it to the body while injecting fluids into his arm. Within minutes the cause of death was known...or not known...  
  
It read "Undeterminable."  
  
Faye looked around at the others in the room and showed the pad to them. Shock was shown on all of their faces. Spike wasn't looking but Faye knew what he would be thinking if he'd seen it. It was like Reeve Giangeli.  
  
Quickly standing up, Faye turned hastily towards Spike. She gripped his shoulders when he wouldn't turn to look at her. He was staring at the dead guy's meal! "Spike!" For some reason, Faye's tone came out strangled and sympathetic clucks could be heard from throughout the room.  
  
"Poor gal's never seen death before. You's better take her outta here. A delicate thing like that don't deserve to see him bein' cut open."  
  
Faye took hold of this opportunity and buried her face into Spike's neck. She barely noticed the way he tensed up because of their position. She could care less.  
  
"Reeve Giangeli." Faye hissed. Immediately, Spike who had been chattig with the officers on Faye's weakness, swept her out of the room, cutting the conversation short.  
  
"Well, gentlemen, I'd love to continue chatting but it seems that my darling here is about to puke out her innards. Wave goodbye." Faye did so feebly.  
  
Once the two were outside and away from the crowd, they allowed their thoughts to flow free.  
  
"I don't think we can ignore this anymore. It almost seems like its linked to our parents murder." Faye said quietly.  
  
"It is."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I've got these papers here that I stole from the scene-"  
  
"You stole for the crime scene?"  
  
"Yeah. They say our parents worked right under this guy when they were alive which is probably why that police man talked about them."  
  
"Do you think that the Giangeli murder and this one are linked? I mean for both of them, they couldn't figure out what caused the deaths."  
  
"Yeah, I think so." The two walked silently towards the hotel.  
  
  
  
Phew that was long! I think I rushed this chapter too much but I'll know from your reviews sooner or later. Julia might make an appearance in the next chapter but I don't know.  
  
**XHatori-SohmaX**- Hi! Thanks for reviewing! I'm so glad that you are enjoying it! Are you sure the characters aren't OOC? I was really sure that they were but hey...If you don't complain, neither will I. I love Spike! He is extremely hot!  
  
**zottie-** Hello! Love your pen name! It's so...funky! And I like funky! I'm updating for you! Why wouldn't I? You obviously took the time to review so I should take the time to say (in deep manly voice) "This is for you, zottie!"  
  
**demonic girl**- Hola! I'm so gald that you're enjoying this story! I'm trying real hard! Honest! I think I dug myself a hole in this chapter because I brought in too much plot but oh well.  
  
**Wolf Jade**- Ahh! You came back! I'm glad I'm not predictable. I was trying to write a cliffhanger but I guess that didn't work so well. Oh well. Spike won't leave her after the next chapter. But once again, you guessed correctly at the plot! Spike was going too...but...we'll see... 


	6. Thanatopsis

Disclaimer: Not mine

Run

Spike and Faye walked towards the elevator, both shooting glares at the desk man. He looked away guiltily and continued to chat on the phone with a prospective customer. As the elevator dinged open, the man put down the phone and pretended to shuffle around some papers on his sticky desk. As he did that, the phone rang again.

Both Spike and Faye stepped inside the elevator, Spike bringing the papers out as the doors of the elevator began to close.

"Talks in detail about this guys work," he muttered, while comparing two of thirteen separate sheets of paper.

"Well it would. I think I remember hearing about his work a lot. He was one of the solar systems greatest researchers on diseases. If I'm right, then he was the guy who helped find the cure to neo-measles," supplied Faye. "He liked _Thanatopsis_ by William Cunnings Bryant. Good poem."

Spike looked at Faye, his eyes inquisitive in nature.

"Thana- what?"

"_Thanatopsis_. It means 'A View of Death'. Brilliant poet, Bryant."

Spike rolled his eyes discreetly. Looking back at the papers and flipping to another page, Spike began to read off one of the pages.

"It says here that he 'was involved in the research of one of the newest bacteria, abbreviated PVS'. True?" Conversation between the two continued as they made their way out the elevator and towards their room. The gauze still held in its place. Removing it, Spike opened the door and led the way inside.

"PVS stands for the Platinum Venus Spore," Faye pronounced, "Maybe he was one of the leading researchers on that project. It wouldn't surprise me. I don't know enough about the project because it's still being researched. But the PVS is used mainly by the Gusev tribe situated in the Gusev Crater. That tribe originated on Titan, I think. They founded it and did something with it on Titan that attracted interplanetary interest. The tribe was moved to the Gusev Crater and was given a new name. They're under constant surveillance now. But yeah, the tribe did use it most."

"What do you mean? How can that tribe use it most?" Spike questioned as he pulled off his boots and threw down.

"I don't know. You're asking the wrong person. But that's as much I know about the PVS project without going and launching a research campaign on it. But it's strange how both his and Giangelli's deaths seem to be related." A jacket and hospital ID card were thrown onto the untidy bedspread of one of beds.

"What's the same?" He was resting on his bed, still reading the papers.

"Well both causes of death are unknown. And both seemed very pale and…yeah…" Faye stuttered off uncertainly in the end.

"Aren't all people pale when they die?"

"Yeah…but…I don't know. I didn't see him before his death but I have the feeling that he was in that position for quite a while."

"He was. Says right here that he didn't answer the door for his housekeeper and so she called his work. He wasn't there so she called around. He wasn't anywhere else so she called the police who found him dead. The housekeeper said he was still in his dinner clothes."

"I have a hunch that his heart kept on beating after most of his body went into a pre-death stage. It happened with Giangelli."

"You can't be sure of that." Spike laid the papers down of the floor before getting up to retrieve something from Faye's lifeless jacket.

"No I can't. But still…just trust me on this." Faye walked over to the window and looked out. People were milling about the skeleton that they'd left of the car. Many of them wore suits, as if they'd just gotten back from work. Most everyone was crawling inside the burnt remnants of the car, trying to find something of value. Fay lifted her fine eyebrows in mild surprise as some business men in black climbed out. Shaking her head, Faye turned away and faced Spike, who now held a cigarette between his lips.

"Take a look at these business guys. They're crawling around the car we blew up yesterday." Faye chortled. Spike looked at her, surprised.

"You mean the car that _I_ blew up."

"Whatever floats your pineapple. Now just look at it!" Spike walked past her and looked outside. Brows darkened almost immediately, like impending storm clouds on the horizon. "Those aren't business men," was the answer.

Within a few moments, Spike was redressed and packing up his bag, throwing in his gun, woolong card and a few extra pairs of clothes.

"Pack your bag," he said shortly. Faye listened to him, putting her medicinal items, clothes and random articles together in one big jumble. As she did so, Spike was at the door, getting ready to replace the piece of gauze. Out of habit, he said. Within a few minutes, the two of them were out of the darkened street, heading towards their ships.

"How did they know that was the car?"

"They're a syndicate. Of course they would know. Shit, this wasn't supposed to happen!"

Faye remained silent for a while more until Spike froze and swore again, dropping his duffel bag and searching himself by patting all his pockets down.

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot the fuckin' papers near the bed! I have to go back to get them." The terror which had been slowly climbing up to seize Faye now did. She turned to him and grabbed his hand desperately.

"Wait! You're going? What am I supposed to do, sit in the ships, playing tic-tac-toe with myself until the gunmen come to get me?" Anger was apparent in her voice. Spike fluidly pulled himself out of her grasp and bent down to retrieve the extra gun from his duffel bag.

"Take this. Fire at anyone who tries to get you. Just don't fire at my ship or I'll be the one shooting at you and I promise, I WON"T miss." With that, Spike walked away from Faye, leaving with her his duffel bag and insanity.

Faye mumbled grumpily as she hoisted both bags and began to march forward, towards the parking space. It was now dark, with flickering street lamps causing eerie spectral shapes to dance on the walls.

Trying to keep her mind off of her fear of being mugged wasn't that easy. Faye often looked over her shoulder to see an empty street, though once in a while, a few stragglers or couples would be seen. The hand that clutched the gun flexed instinctively at times like this. It was a comfort to her, knowing that she could blast out the brains of a rapist if one came near her. But even then, death scared her.

Faye continued on, reaching the space docks in good time. She opened up her RedTail and jumped in, wincing as her tailbone hit on the metal. There she sat, waiting for the unexpected and hoping for the expected.

Once in a while, Faye's eyes would draw themselves over to the darkened street, on which there was nothing but something. Down that street lay the house of the leader of BioLabs, who had been killed not too long ago. Again, something seemed to be haunting her and the darkness.

* * *

Spike headed away from the angry form of Faye, while taking long strides to reach the hotel quickly. The papers were important. They might as well as have held the key to why his parents were killed. He increased his pace just a little bit. He couldn't lose any time. By the time he got there, the hotel could be swarming with Red Dragon cronies.

As he rounded the corner into an alley where the entrance of the hotel was located, Spike kept an active eye out for any suspicious activity. There were no extra cars of extra lights anywhere. In fact, most of the noise and light was still coming from the crime scene. Spike entered the hotel lobby and made his way to the elevator.

The mousy man from earlier still sat behind his desk. As Spike stepped in, he began to speak.

"Oh sir. I s-see you a-are back? Uh..th-there is s-someone-" He started sputtering incoherently as Spike casually drew his gun out and began to rub it down with his shirt. The desk man looked away, face pale.

The elevator dinged open and Spike stepped in, gun still drawn. Anyone could be anywhere. Within a few minutes in the rickety elevator, Spike was on his floor making his way silently to his room.

In the muted lighting Spike let his eyes fall on the door and the area around it. During this sweep, he froze.

On the ground lay the gauze. As if it were being blown by a wind, the gauze drifted towards him and stopped at his feet. Spike bent down to retrieve it with his bandaged hand. The hand pocketed the loosely woven gauze and drew up the menacing handgun. Within seconds, Spike stood before the door. Taking a few silent steps back, Spike unleashed his foot against the door.

It went crashing in.

For a moment, Spike didn't recognize the room. It was somehow different, with the air stream blowing through the open window.

Faye hadn't left the window open.

"Hello Spike."

That's why the room was different.

Julia.

She was here.

Spike lowered his gun and stared. She was here. In front of him, a tangible angel just waiting for him, sitting on those filthy covers on the bed. Gently, Spike began to move towards Julia, his one hand reaching out to her. But as he walked past the open window, he hesitated. Woody eyes glanced outside to the cadaver of a car. No one was there. They were looking.

Frosty fingers stroked his cheek. Spike pulled away, surprised.

"You're cold." He whispered. Pocketing his gun, Spike reached out and took the blonde's hand and gently rubbed some heat into them. However, Julia's other hand came and rested on his warm ones.

Spike lifted his eyes for a moment to glace at her beatific face. Cobalt eyes stared back at him, reveling in everything they took in. Spike sighed before asking.

"Why are you here?" The blue eyes changed in expression, from love and admiration to bewilderment and wonder.

"I'm here to see you Spike." She had the most luscious way to pronouncing his name. He'd always thought it was horrid. But whenever she pronounced it with her pert, soft lips, Spike just wanted to melt into her.

But this was not the time to be thinking of her lips.

"It's dangerous here," An idea suddenly seized Spike, "and it's dangerous with Vicious too. Come with me, Julia! We can run from him together! We won't have to worry about him coming for us! We can be two lovers, running from him!"

Julia looked down at their still hands, her curtain of golden hair falling about her face. "No Spike. I can't do that to Vicious. He's too dependent on me."

"And I'm not?" Sarcasm laced Spike's voice as pain laces a deep wound.

"Oh, you are Spike, you are! But…you don't need me…"

"Who says that? Of course I ne!" She cut him off.

"No you don't Spike. I need to support Vicious with his current project. What he's doing haunts him to no end. But he needs to do it to redeem himself in his own eyes. But you're stopping him from doing that. Spike, you're hurting your own friend!" Her eyes were trying to ensnare his but he was looking away.

"What do you mean 'his project'?" Julia evaded his question somewhat as she now avoided his gaze.

"These murders you're looking at. Don't get involved with them. You'll just get killed Spike!" The passion in her voice was rising rapidly, "I know what you don't! So please listen to me! I am in way too deep! But you have to get out while you can! Please Spike! Please don't go any further!"

Spike grabbed hold of her shoulders and shook hard. "What are you talking about? What do you know that I don't?"

Julia swung her head to one side and began to moan incoherently. "Oh Spike…you're so naïve. You know what you need to know. Please…just go…"

"Julia, you have to tell me! If you love me as much as you say you do, you'll tell me right now!"

"Spike I don't love you! I love Vicious!"

That was it.

Spike staggered away from her, looking at her as if she'd burned him. Julia gazed at Spike with wounded appeal.

"I guess I'll take the papers and go then." Spike said simply. He walked past a ruined but proud Julia and gathered up the papers from the floor. With that, Spike strode out of the door of the room without a glance back at the one woman who for him was _thanatopsis_.

* * *

Sorry for the long wait. I was considering deleting this fic and still am not sure. I don't know how good it is and whatnot. But whatever.

**Kyoko095:** No problem about missing the update! I'm just glad that you took the time to review! It's real nice of you! (Pokes Spike with stick) Do you think you caused brain damage? Don't worry though! We'll have a nice SF is I decide to finish this.

**Wolf Jade:** You should become a detective because you keep on guessing everything correctly! As of right now, you have five brownie points. Lets see how many more you can get!

**amopet4:** Aww thanks! I'm glad I'm appreciated and thank you for reviewing!


	7. Interlude: Part I

Disclaimer: Not mine

Alexander and Bruce walked down the hallway together, comparing notes under the stark light that filtered in through the shaded windows and through the rectangular lights above. Alexander looked away irritated, while Bruce leaned forward, pointing out an exact line on the top page of his mass of them.

"See? The ring of benzene, which produces that slight perfume, bonds with the main component of chlorofluorocarbons! And we already know those are dangerous! So that must be the reason behind the way this thing works!" Alexander shot a glare at the piles of folders under Bruce's arms and in his hands. He shifted his center of gravity and through the relative speckle of light particles, could be seen opening one of his folders.

"I still don't see what you're getting at. Your hypothesis does make sense but it's not conclusive."

"How so?" questioned Bruce.

"Well for starters, the compound created from the reaction between a regular benzene ring and a string of chlorofluorocarbons would not paralyze the medulla as seen in the tests we ran on the rats. It would only reach to the point of a slight tingling in the nerves. And I don't think that it's made up of two things. The way it reacts makes me think that it only one _synthetic_ substance is involved."

Bruce sighed dramatically and closed the manila folder that lay in his over-laden arms. Rubbing his auburn eyes tiredly, he replied.

"I know what you mean. Two organic substances combined seems like a good excuse for all that this plant can do." There was a respite in their conversation, broken only by the tapping of their shoes against the peppering of plastic tiles on the sterile floor of the laboratory.

Alexander spoke up this time. "Do you know why the boss wants us to look into this? I know I've asked this like a million times but…It's just really sus--" Bruce urgently cut him off.

"I'll talk to you about it later. I have a hunch." Alexander looked over to his friend, indigo eyes wrinkled in confusion.

As the two respective men made their way to their offices, Bruce nattered up again.

"Are you and Lillian going to be coming over for dinner today?" He looked over to his companion.

"Yeah, why not. Our kids haven't been together for a while." Alexander smiled and looked forward. "If we come over, tell Adelaide not to make her chicken parmesan."

"I think she's given up on that recipe. After the last time…remember?" Bruce let out a chuckle, followed by Alexander whose memory supplied him as well.

"All of us were fighting to use the toilet…" He reached his office. Bruce's was right next door. "See you at seven?"

"Why not. See you later Dr. Valentine."

"See you later Dr. Spiegel."

* * *

The doorbell rang ceremoniously and its voice echoed through the red Georgian colonial. Three children came stampeding down the stairs, stopped only by their mother, Adelaide, who sent them an admonishing look before making her way to the door.

She opened it, a smile gracing her features. Exclamations of happiness were emitted from both crowds, one inside, one out and they became even more pronounced when Adelaide's husband came to help her greet their old friends.

"Well if it isn't the Valentines!" His ochre eyes twinkled with amusement as he pulled his laughing friend into a gruff man-hug and then moved on to the wife, arms open for a hug.

"You know, Alexander, I might have to steal your wife from you. She just keeps on getting prettier and prettier." Bruce leaned down to give Lillian a peck on the cheek.

Adelaide rolled her eyes dramatically before pulling her husband away. "Please, Bruce, you wouldn't be able to live a moment without me." Her body began to shake with inhibited laughter. The theatrical couple continued.

"You're right my darling! Where would I be without your cooking? I'd be in China, watching my mentor's movies till the duck comes home!"

"You and your Bruce Lee, Bruce." Alexander slapped his friend on the back, one hand enveloping the much smaller one of his youngest child. Adelaide bent down to her level, smiling brightly.

"What is this Faye? No hug for me?" Faye giggled and let go of her father's hand launching herself into her mother's best friend's waiting arms. Spike watched Faye lazily from the stairs while his two sisters began to chat garrulously with Faye's two sisters and one brother. Faye broke from the hug and went on to Bruce, who launched her up into the air.

"Your eyes are so pretty!" He exclaimed, eliciting a smile from the five year old. He said that every time. She turned to her mother, who watched her calmly with gray eyes. "Mommy says I have Granny's eyes."

"Is that so?" Bruce looked over to Lillian who nodded and smiled at her youngest daughter.

"Shall we go inside? I don't think the party will go too well if we all stand in the hall? What do the kids say?" Cheers resounded through the high vaulted ceilings which were lined with simple yet elegant taste. Red drapes created a daring contrast to the warm and calming tone of the crème, with black and white photos taken by a loving mother lining specific places and memories of the family. Traveling by one photo of a sleeping sister was a green mop of hair, down the sloping stairs, into the foyer, following the mass of other people.

All the other children were outside, following the second oldest child present, Spike's sister Breviloquent, nicknamed Brev. The others included Quietus, Faye's brother and her two sisters Nonascency and Ember, along with Spike's remaining sister, Daisy.

"Hey Nascen, I saw you talking with Mausol today. Isn't he the one you like?" Brev opened up the conversation. Young Faye stared at her sister in amazement. Spike sat next to her, grinning like an idiot. Nascen was his age and Mausol was one of his better friends. Fourteen year old Quietus shook his head and smiled. If only Brev knew…

Soon all of the children filled the air with talk of things never seen in the contralto voices which dip in out of weavings in the air.

Inside, however, the talk was of something of much more consequence.

"Bruce." The said man looked up from where he was pouring a glass of wine for his wife. "Yes Alexander?" Alexander kept stirring his cocktail, eyes trailing on the ground.

"What were you talking about at work? You know, with the whole thing about the boss and our research being suspicious?" Bruce slowed his action of handing the glass of wine to his wife. Adelaide's ochre eyes came up to her husband's face, eliciting a break in conversation with Lillian. The two had met during one of Adelaide's photographing shoots, with Lillian as the model. Friendship would blossom between the two and once they married, they found their husbands to be acquaintances as well.

Bruce spoke hesitantly, as both Lillian and Adelaide exchanged looks of mild confusion. "I think…I think what we're doing is…uh…illegal? No, that's not the word…"

Adelaide spoke up. "What are you two speaking about?" Alexander slid his eyes over to the two ladies, who sat comfortably on a dark tan sofa. His eyes shifted back to his cocktail. After he took a sip from it and took an uncomfortable glance back at diffident Bruce, Alexander spoke.

"We can't figure out this…this compound, substance, whatever that we're working on. It's so…bizarre. I've never seen anything like it. The compound…it's not from here, if you know what I mean. And it's strange that we would be researching it because we are top scientists and I would expect us to be looking into the Aurora pill for the Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease. Plus, we've been told to keep everything so secretive and…" Alexander looked up. "Bruce? Do you want to elaborate on what you said earlier today?"

Bruce shifted uneasily and cleared his throat. "Well, like Alexander, I noticed that we've been working on something that is…small…and not of much consequence…at least for us. When we first started on this thing, we figured for it to be a five month ordeal. Typical time period for finding out about how it reacts to this, that, what it does to the body, does it help, hurt…all of that. But it's been over three years now. Three years and we only have this much information on its capabilities." Bruce held his forefinger and thumb a pica apart.

"Why do you still research it then?" Lillian asked, leaning forward. "If you can't find any information about it, shouldn't your boss realize that? What's his name again? Johanne Nicholls?"

"We still research because we're scientists. But Johanne's been here for…what, eight years now? He should know that this has to be sent back to the Cryo Lab. We can't work with it now. Maybe someone in the future can figure it out." Alexander replied with resign.

"Is there anything that you have found out?" Adelaide questioned. The two men looked at each other again, their eyes brushing past all other items in the room.

"We think it may be synthetic compounds. You know, ones created by humans. Because organic compounds are simple and this plant we're researching isn't. There's so much _wrong_ with this picture." Bruce shook his head.

Lillian opened her mouth to speak. A frown had furrowed itself into her features. "Wait. You just said that a plant is made up of fake stuff. How does that work?"

Alexander answered the question, his tone exasperated. "That's the problem. How can something grown be made up of compounds not found in nature?"

"Where is this plant found?"

"Uh…" Bruce looked down at his fingernails, trying to recollect the fact. "I think its…Venus…right Alexander?" Alexander nodded sagely.

"Yeah. The sulfuric acid was neutralized and this plant suddenly popped up out of nowhere. We think it prefers more nitrogen and because of that, the plant has exhibited a higher tolerance to any drugs that we've tried on it. See, all atoms, elements, whatever…they bond. Nitrogen bonds also but its special because it can form a triple bond of well, three. Get it? So we think that the plant taking this element helps it."

"So the plant is invincible?" A silence descended on the company there. It was broken, however, by the rapid footsteps of Faye. She was hungry.

* * *

Johanne Nicholls paced around his office, listening to the message that played again and again on his message system. It was the syndicate, asking him about the research on the plant. Shakily, Johanne extended his hand out to grasp the handle of the vid-phone. He didn't like working for the syndicate but it was necessary. He had dialed half the number but the stopped when there was a hesitant knock at the door.

As head researcher at BioLabs, Johanne often received many different types of people in his office about their different projects. Johanne was organized, thankfully, and made sure he was aware of all that happened with his people.

"Come in." He sounded and casually let go of the vid-phone at the same time. His best scientists, Spiegel and Valentine entered.

"Yes?" He questioned quietly. The two men seemed uneasy in his presence for the first time ever.

"Is something wrong?" Johanne jumped to conclusions. "Have you found out something about the Venus Plant project?"

Alexander shook his head and began to speak, with Bruce behind him. "We've decided to ask about something that's been bothering us for quite some time now." Johanne inclined his head slightly to show the two that they held his ear. Bruce breathed in deeply and then spoke.

"Why are we researching the plant?" Johanne didn't get a chance to answer. The vid-phone had begun to ring. The holographic screen popped up and flashed "Syndicate" in large letters. Johanne's frightened eyes met those of the bewildered men in front of him.

* * *

Thanks you guys so much for your support. Because of all your nice words, I've decided to continue this story. Thanks so much! Let's just hope I can keep my facts straight! I haven't done a grammar check so sorry for mistakes!

This is a flashback chapter, just in case you couldn't tell. My muse (Rowen) decided that it was time for something that would give a back story. What do you think?

**Zimo:** Thank you so much for your beautiful words! I'm glad that I've been able to create a world that is believable. Your words…They mean so much and I'm glad you're enjoying this fic. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**ni9htdreame12: **I hope the cryptic-ness is good! I'll be tying up loose ends soon so no worries!

**Jade Silver:** No worries! It is continued! Thank you!

**Kendra Luehr:** lol, thank you for reviewing all my chapters! It felt so good to get someone to review all of the chapters and give their thoughts as they read it from beginning to end! I'm glad I can elicit those reactions! Thank you so much!

**Simplicity 095:** It's okay! I'm just glad that you took the time to actually review! And yes, Spike with brain damage would be much better. That way he'd go for our favorite heroine, right? lol!

**XHatori-SohmaX:** Julia…lol, I still don't know whether I like her or not. She's so…weird! But this update is for all of you!

**Valentine20:** Subtle is what I'm going for! I'm so glad you're enjoying this! This fic is for you guys and my greedy imagination!


	8. Interlude: Part II

Disclaimer: Not mine

Run

Johanne cleared his throat uncomfortably and clicked a button on the vid-phone. Immediately, a gruff voice spoke up.

"Johanne. We're waiting for those results that you promised. You said your people made a breakthrough on the genetic structure of the plant. The boss isn't too happy with you," the voice intoned.

"I-I…I am having pr-problems getting the information from them," Johanne said nervously.

"The boss'll send someone down."

"NO! I mean, I can handle it. They've got to finalize it in a report but they haven't started on that so…so…uhh…I'll get them started on th-that." Johanne glanced up at his stunned scientists.

The voice cut through his thoughts. "Is there someone else in the room?"

Johanne's look became more agitated. The voice almost growled before cutting away. The dial tone replaced the voice. The silence ensued with deafening proportions and Johanne could only shuffle his papers around nervously.

Alexander and Bruce stared. They were drowning. The silence seemed to suck them up. Johanne put down his stack of papers and looked back up at them, their files flitting under the waves of air-conditioning. For a few moments, that was the only sound that filled the room.

"I…" Both Alexander and Bruce watched Johanne carefully. "I…I suppose you have a few questions for me?"

Alexander's eyes became large with disbelief. "_Questions_?" he hissed sarcastically. "You think we have _questions_ for you? Why would you ever think that?_ Questions_? Of all things… _questions_?"

Bruce put a calming hand on the arm of his friend. Nonchalantly, he walked over to Johanne's desk and began to speak, with nothing giving away his inner turmoil.

"The weather today. It's nice, isn't it? Sunny, a few clouds…oyster in color. That's what my wife would say. But that can change so quickly. Think about it. Hurricanes, typhoons, fires…a lot of death right there." Bruce paused for the slight dramatic effect. No one moved. "Did you ever think about how weather can affect our lives? How it can maybe kill us or keep us alive? If you keep that in mind, since the weather really is Mother Nature, then you realize that yes, Mother Nature has the awesome ability to kill us. Right?" No one moved. "That just reinforces the samurai ideals of so long ago, doesn't it? Live like you're dead. Because death is always near. But some consider death like waking up. Samurais might have been right it that respect. We all believe in an afterlife, don't we? At least those of us in this room. So what's to fear of death if we're just going to have a better life?"

Johanne shifted uncomfortably.

"What's wrong Johanne? Does death scare you? And yet, when it does, you still communicate with the syndicate, of all things. I don't think you realize that the death which you so fear just finished a phone call with you. Don't you see it? Death, Johanne, _death_…" Bruce motioned to Alexander and himself. "Why do you have these connections and dealings with the syndicate that bring us into it?"

"You wouldn't understand Bruce. This is politics. I…I have to do this. There isn't any way around it."

Bruce backed away and sighed. His dramatic posture and affections had faded like clouds.

"I'm sure there is Johanne. I'm sure there is."

With that, both Alexander and Bruce left the room, the door clicking softly behind them.

* * *

Silence pervaded the lab in which the two men were working in. The plant sat in smugly in front of them, its tufted bits hanging precariously from intricately entwined branches of sickly green.

Besides the Drs. Spiegal and Valentine, the lab remained empty. Their work concentrated on one of the tufted bits. Various chemicals sat out in front of them, with names unreadable to even the most learned of men. Their work was un-detailed, systematic, not their usual degree of excellence. They would write something on a top piece of paper, formulate a procedure to follow it, execute the procedure, see it fail and then start all over.

Obviously, their hearts weren't in it.

"Your Mother Nature speel was…interesting. I didn't see it coming." Alexander said, his voice muffled slightly by the safety mask worn around his face.

Bruce's snort sounded through his mask. "I was just relating the complexity of this plant to why we can't figure it out. It's Mother Nature, you know? She'll always know more than we do. Always…I guess I never made that clear, did I?"

Alexander chuckled slightly as he shook his head. "I think you really sent both of us for a loop when you related it all to death and samurais. Weird, you know?"

Bruce grinned beneath his mask. "I can't even begin to imagine. I mean, we know how scared he is of dying. Remember the scare he had with Creutzfeld-Jacobs Disease?"

"Yeah. Thought he had it because he was near a foaming dog."

The two chuckled before solemnly getting back to their not-so-heartened work. A few hours later, their work was done. The two packed up their lab work. Unstable Petri dishes held isolated amounts of the tufted portions. Securing them with a small band, the two men headed out of the lab, their minds heavy with the syndicate secret.

When the two reached the parking lot, they spoke for a few minutes before parting.

"Well?" Bruce asked. Alexander knew right away what of.

"I think we're screwed. We have to find out the structure so we can find out what it does and how to counteract it. Otherwise, we'll have a syndicate on our ass." Bruce nodded shortly in agreement.

"Won't we be a happy group?"

"Hmph. What do you think'll happen if we don't find anything soon? Johanne already has them assuming that we've found everything out."

"I guess we'll find out soon, won't we?"

"Yeah…Do you want to meet up later on? Like three weeks from now for dinner? My house this time?"

Bruce nodded again. "The families need to be told…well, at least the wives."

With a silent handshake, the two men parted company, their thoughts dwelling on their role in this game of chance.

* * *

_Three weeks later_

"Hey Faye!"

"Hi Spike!"

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

"Yes please. I'm still not used to it."

"I know. Here. Hold my hand. Why are you walking home today? Doesn't your mom usually pick you up?"

"Yeah. But she's busy today getting ready for when you guys come over. It's been a long time since I've held your hand!"

"I know. You're a big girl now, remember?"

"Yup! But daddy tells me I'm still small."

"I'm sure he does."

"He does!"

"Really?...So, where are your sisters…or your brother?"

"They all had to stay after school. What about your sisters?"

"Same."

"Oh…Guess what I learned in school today!"

"What?"

"No! You're supposed to guess!"

"Uhhh…you learned the alphabet?"

"No, you lunkhead! We learned that last year!"

"Ummm…math?"

"Yeah!...How come you guessed so quickly?"

"I'm just so smart like that. What exactly did you learn about in math?"

"It's called…uhhh…add-d-d…uhhh. I forgot."

"Addition?"

"Yeah! I thought it was easy!"

"That's good."

…

"Hey Spike?"

"Hm?"

"Why is there a man in a black suit staring at you through a telescope?"

…

"That's not a telescope."

_It's a gun._

* * *

"Mrs. Valentine! Mrs. Valentine!"

"Mommy! Mommmmmmyyyyyy!"

Lilliancame running outside the side door that connected the kitchen to the yard, wringing her wet hands on a dish towel.

"Faye? Spike? What's wrong?" Her gray eyes searched the two children and when nothing wrong was found there, moved on behind them to see if there was any trouble.

Nothing.

"Spike was screaming so I screamed," Faye answered simply. She let go of Spike's hand and climbed up the stairs into the kitchen.

"Spike?"

"Me an' Faye were walking home and she pointed out this guy—this huge guy dressed in black, you know, like the mobster movie guys—and he had a gun! An' it was pointed straight at us! I didn't tell Faye it was a gun but—…Mrs. Valentine? Are you okay?" Spike peered at the pale Lillian Valentine, who stood staring at him with wide eyes.

"A gun?"

"Uh-huh."

Lillian shot forward, grabbing Spike's hand and dragging him inside. She released her grip on him in the kitchen before turning around and locking both the screen door and wooden door. The phone was in her hands in a few seconds, dialing the number of her best friend Adelaide.

"Hello? Adelaide Spiegal speaking."

"Adelaide! Oh my gosh—"

"Lillian? Are you okay?"

"Someone tried to shoot Spike and Faye!"

"Ummm…Mrs. Valentine? They didn't try to shoot us. They were just pointing a gun _at_ us." Spike made sure to say it loud enough so his mom could hear. Her screech on the other end of the phone could still be heard after his statement. He supposed that even though the people hadn't shot them, she was still scared. Just a little.

"Do you think you can go get the other kids from school Adelaide? I have Spike and Faye with me. Nothing will happen."

"Yes, I'll go right now. I'll be over there soon enough."

The phone went dead.

* * *

"_What_?" Alexander stared at the host of people in his living room. The wives had just related the story to them and he didn't know what to do.

"There were people _with guns_…wanting to shoot at our kids?"

Spike sighed. All they did was have the gun pointed at them. They never really shot anybody.

"Yes, Alexander. But we don't know why! We've called the police and they sent someone over to log the report but…why?"

"I don't know. Adelaide, is Bruce coming?"

"Yes. He'll be here soon. What are we going to do about the kids? I would walk around with each of them and fend off any guns but there happen to be too many of them," Adelaide quipped, motioning to the kids. Her light tone was returning.

"Well," Lillian began. "The cop said it was probably just a random incident. As in, the guy probably had nothing to do with the family. He was just there looking for someone else."

Adelaide nodded. "It makes sense. I mean, why would someone be after Spike and Faye?"

Brev spoke up. "Can I talk, mama?" Adelaide nodded.

"Well, I was watchin' this movie in class today…It was called like _Rush Hour_ or something…really, really old… and this guy, like, kidnapped the kid of the boss guy because he wanted to, like, hit the boss hard. Get it? So maybe, the gun guy was tryin' to get to, like...uh…someone." Silence followed the statement. Brev looked around nervously. She quietly retracted her statement.

"I was just jokin'."

Adelaide took charge and instructed the children. "Brev, Quietus. Take the kids outside. Yell if anything happens."

A scuttle ensued where Brev and Quietus rounded up their siblings and led them outside.

"Just tell us when you're done, okay?" Quietus said to his parents. They nodded in affirmation.

A few moments passed. Lillian's eyes strayed to her husband, who looked worried, pulling once or twice on his burgundy tie. There was a knock at the door. Alexander moved to it and after checking, opened the door. Bruce stood there with a harried look on his face. He was about to step in when Alexander held out his hand to stop him, leaned forward and whispered into Bruce's ear.

Bruce's eyes widened dramatically.

Alexander stepped aside and let Bruce in. He locked the door after him.

"Lillian, Adelaide. There's something Bruce and I have to tell you. Johanne is involved with the syndicate."

Two deep breaths were taken.

"And the project we've been working on is for the syndicate."

"Oh my God," The wives muttered in unison.

It all made sense now.

* * *

The four worked in the kitchen together, talking the whole situation out. The children were all safely accounted for and upstairs.

"—and he was talking to the syndicate! So Bruce goes all crazy on him about samurais and nature and stuff and then we leave. We go to work on our research and then…well…we came home," Alexander finished lamely.

"Do you think that the syndicate people could be on to you so quickly? I mean…it's only been a few hours, tops, and they've already targeted our kids?" Adelaide questioned.

"Well, _darling_," Bruce smiled as his wife rolled her eyes. "…the syndicate is known to act quickly. Plus, I think this is just a warning of some type. I highly doubt that they'd shoot us or anything…our kids especially."

"I don't know. I wouldn't put it past them," Alexander said.

"I agree with Bruce. They're human too. I wouldn't kill children, no matter whose they were," Lillian countered.

Alexander continued, "But that's you. Some people really are ruthless. They trained a gun on our children. Pulling a trigger isn't that hard."

There was a stop in the flow of conversation, filled only by the muffled laughter of their respective children.

Bruce broke the silence. "So, Alexander. What're you going to do about those samples?"

The man shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe put them in the sunlight where I can see their reaction to heat. I guess here would be best." Alexander motioned to the tabletop in the kitchen, near the window.

"You are not leaving your experiments in my kitchen mister." With her hands on her hips and a sauce-covered spoon in her hand, Lillian looked quite forbidding.

"Fine, fine. I'll go set them outside, where Faye could eat them or some poor, unsuspecting animal could, even though you would be here in the kitchen at all times watching the kids so no one messes with the Petri dish," Alexander turned to his wife a flashed her a gallant smile. "Right?"

Anyone could see how Lillian wavered in her resolve, as her thoughts turned to her children or an unsuspecting animal eating away at the puffy substance. She broke. Funerals in the garden were not her thing.

"Fine! Put your stupid experiment there! Ugh. This is why I should have married a lawyer."

* * *

"Ah shit."

It was three days after the incident with the gun and Lillian stood in her kitchen, having just triumphed in her battle with lid of her food processor. There had been a minor hiccup, however, that stole from the glory of the win. The contents of the food processor were now decorating Lillian, the tabletops, walls, ceiling and much, much more.

Licking some carrot sauce off of her fingers (it needed more brown sugar anyways), Lillian set to cleaning up her mess. That was, of course, until she saw that her carrot sauce had landed in her husband's experiment.

And being one to never swear, Lillian did.

Lifting the Petri dish up in her hands, Lillian surveyed the tufts from the bottom, watching agonizingly as the carrot sauce surrounded the tufts. She couldn't take it anymore. Lillian set the dish down and began to clean up her kitchen, mentally cursing her mother for ever creating a recipe that had to do with carrots, Chinese herbs and brown sugar.

* * *

Sorry for the long wait, everyone! I've been busy with college apps and never got around to this fic. Hopefully all my classes will slow down now (highly doubtful, but I can hope) and I'll be able to write more.

Many discrepancies regarding this fiction. I have so many problems with the earlier chapters that it's not even funny. I just…ugh…I need to change them. And I will! But later…

As for not being able to thank you all, I will be sending you guys thank you messages and for the anonymous reviewers, if you leave me a manageable name, (like spider, or something) then I'll fit you into the story. Just a reference, though!

i.e. My penname used to be "i won't tell" so I got excited when someone in a fiction would say "I won't tell the secret!" or something like that…get it? Good!

Thanks so much you guys!


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